The Demon King
by RoseDragonWitch
Summary: The Spirit World… the world were the impossible is possible, home to magical beings and the Demon King himself. Can a young girl battle her way through it, and save her brother? And what of the Demon King? He wasn't supposed to be the one to fall in love.
1. Storytime

_._

There is a place where things are sent when they are to be forgotten or taken away.

They do not go. They are sent.

This is important.

The passageway served as a link between all worlds. Portals opened and shut, things are taken through and then swiftly moved out. Nothing ever entered the space of its own accord. And on the rare occasions that they _did_ enter, they are…dealt with.

Something different is coming. And there was the problem in itself. It was _coming_, not being taken.

This was wrong. This was not how it was supposed to be.

In the deepness of the tunnel…something stirred.

**Chapter 1: StoryTime**

_The Spirit World… the world where the impossible is possible. Home to magical beings such as monsters, spirits, and of course, the Demon King himself. A beautiful, young girl had battled her way through it, and now stood in the castle of the Demon King. She was preparing to confront the cause of all of the hardships she had been through._

_The doors opened and the Demon King had appeared._

_"Give me my brother," she said her voice strong and determined. She would not bow down to this man, for she was as strong as he was, and maybe, even more so._

_He stared at her face for a long moment. He walked towards her, and then placed his hand gently underneath her chin, forcing her to look into his face. "How you changed my world you precious thing," he said. "You've changed me. You have been able to reach me in a way that no one has ever done. I've struggled to understand you… I am near exhaustion. Why can you understand that everything I've done… I've done for you? I don't move the stars for just anyone. You've run for so long… and you've come so far… to me."_

_The young girl could feel her anger slowly fade away as she gazed into the Demon King's sad eyes. She reached up to take the Demon's Kings own claws and placed it on the side of her face and closed her eyes. She felt the warmth from his hand… the hand that had been the cause of all of her pain… the one that had caused the suffering that she had been through in the last half a day… and she knew that he spoke the truth._

_"I do understand," the girl said simply. "I know that all that you've done is for me… and for that… I will always be grateful. But if you truly care… if you truly want to help me… then please… give me back my brother."_

_The Demon King removed his hand and walked pass the girl, avoiding her eyes. "Everything you have wanted I have done," he said to her. "You asked the boy to be taken away. I took him, so that you would become free from worry. You arrived here to find him, we were able to meet once again. I have reordered time. I have turned the Spirit World upside down, and I have done it all for you! And yet you want to leave me…"_

_"Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered," said the young girl. "I have fought my way here to your castle through the Spirit World. And now I am face to face with you. And somewhere along my journey I've realized that I have..."_

A young woman now muttered the words, chewing her bottom lip as she thought carefully. Her long raven hair had been sloppily pinned back, and a crown of twigs and flower petals placed on top. The dress she wore proved to be just an old Halloween costume, slightly small on her. Her creamy skin shimmered with a light mist, a result of the early drizzle from earlier, and chocolate-brown eyes sparkled with suppressed stories and fairy-tales just itching to be let out.

"I love this next part," Kagome said to herself. She was reading out loud from her favorite storybook. She flipped through the pages, pass the conversation between the girl and the Demon King, trying to find a particular page. Once she found it, she then twirled around in her dress as she said, "_It's only forever, not long at all._" She looked back at her "Demon King", better known as her excessively obese cat Buyo.

"Maaoow…" he whined, trying to stretch his legs out but falling over instead.

"Oh, Buyo," she said, laughter in her voice. Her sneakers slapped against the clean courtyard ground as she jogged over to the cat, bending down to rub his tummy, and receiving a thankful yowl in response.

"Kagome!"

The girl quickly got up and looked back at the sliding doors to her home, spotting the source of the womanly voice.

"Yeah? What is it mom?"

"Your grandfather and I are going out now. I need you to come inside and watch Sota."

Kagome groaned. The last thing that she wanted to do right now was baby-sit her annoying little brother.

"Do I have to?" she complained, her twig crown slipping sideways over her head. "He's just gonna be in bed the whole time anyways…"

Mrs. Higurashi responded in her no-nonsense voice, erasing all thoughts of liberty (in the form of going to the movies with friends) while she was out. "Now, dear, you've been promising to do this for a while."

Kagome felt her temper slowly rise. "But what if I had plans? What about that?"

"Kagome," Mrs. Higurashi placed her hands on her hips, eyeing her rebellious daughter who still hadn't moved an inch. With a weary sigh, she wiped her hands on her apron and walked over, placing a hand on Kagome's cheek. "I'd love it if you had a date. Most girls your age should be going out. What about the Hojo boy? He seems nice…"

Kagome shrugged her mother's hand away angrily. She was changing the subject again. But knowing her mother, she wasn't going to be able to get a straight answer out of her. Kind and motherly the woman may be, but she had a will of steel.

"Hojo's not my type," she muttered as she brushed past her mother and inside her home. Sota, who'd heard everything, barely glanced up from the TV as Kagome flopped onto the couch, crossing her arms in front of her chest angrily.

"So…" he said, filling in the silence between them. "Who is your type then?"

"Ugh!" Kagome yelled, and walloped her brother with a nearby pillow. Sota was in hysterics. Walking over to the TV before he could protest, she yanked the cord out, and smirked at him.

"Hey…!" he yelled as she stomped up the stairs. "It was getting to the best part!"

Kagome went upstairs and slammed her bedroom door, listening smugly as Sota complained to their mother, only to have her chastise him for annoying his older sister.

"Besides, you can't watch TV all night."

"But mom!"

With a short, humorless laugh, Kagome flopped onto her bed, letting the mattress bounce a couple of times before coming to a stop. She screamed frustrated into her pillow, using it as a muffler so the rest of her family wouldn't hear her. When she was finished, she breathed in her own aroma, silently counting backwards from ten.

_10…9…8…_

Someone was coming up the stairs. Their footsteps were muffled through the door, but even then she could make out her mother's light pace.

…_7…6…_

There was a pause when she reached the top steps, as if she was trying to hear Kagome from the stairway and tell what she was doing. Kagome stayed silent.

…_5…4…_

With a sigh, her mother walked up the rest of the steps, then paused outside her door, still trying to hear her daughter inside.

…_3…2…1._

-KNOCK KNOCK-

"Kagome? Are you in there?"

Kagome was half tempted to yell "No, I'm not! Go away!" but thought better of it. She didn't need to cause her mother too much grief tonight.

"…yeah."

"Can I come in?"

"…if you want."

Kagome, now facing the wall on the other side of her bed, heard the door open, then her mother's weary sigh.

"Kagome, please don't be like this…"

Kagome said nothing.

"Well… your grandfather and I have to go tonight. Remember, Sota is to be in bed by 8:30. And you have to give him his medicine before he goes to sleep."

"I know mom," said Kagome annoyed. She knew how to take care of her brother. She had been doing it since he was born. Her mother just put her hand on her daughters head in a loving way. "You know I could never do anything without you? I don't know what I would do if you weren't here." Kagome just gave her a small smile. Her mother just noticed the small book that Kagome had in her hands. "The Demon King," she said absent-mindedly. "Aren't you getting a little tired of this book? You read it almost every day."

Kagome picked it up and flipped through it. "I can't help it… I love this story."

"Did you ever thank Kikyo for giving it to you?" her mother asked.

"Of course I did," said Kagome in an offended tone. Kikyo was her favorite cousin, and she loved everything that she would give to her. She still remembered when Kikyo had given her the book.

_-Flashback-_

_Kikyo was in town for the weekend and was staying at their house. She and Kagome had always been best friends, ever since they were little. She could tell Kikyo anything. She was a kind-hearted person, though it was impossible to tell what her feelings where. She was one of those people that would be good at poker because she was an expert at hiding her emotions. Kagome on the other hand, was the opposite. Kikyo once said that she was like a mood ring; because you always knew what she was feeling._

_She and Kikyo were in the kitchen washing the dishes while her mother and grandfather were out shopping, and Sota was asleep._

_"It must be hard for you to always watch Sota," said Kikyo as she dried a plate._

_"Yeah," said Kagome unhappily. "It's not that I don't love Sota, it's just that… for once I wish that someone around here would ask what I want. You know? Sometimes I feel that my life would be better off if Sota wasn't here."_

_Kikyo gave her a serious look before saying, "Kagome, you should be careful what you wish for."_

_"I know, I know," said Kagome as she picked up another dish. "But I still feel like that sometimes. If Sota didn't get sick all the time, I wouldn't have to be here all the time. To tell you the truth, Kikyo… I really resent him. He's always sick and I'm the one who has to look after him. And he always wants to stay inside, so I have to stay in too. I'm tired of it."_

_"You know what you're problem is Kagome?" said Kikyo. "You take too many things for granted."_

_"What do you mean?" asked Kagome as she put down her sponge and glared at her cousin._

_Kikyo merely continued to wash. "All I'm saying is that not everything is what it seems. You need to look pass the obvious. And above all… be careful what you wish for. You don't appreciate something until it's gone."_

_"You've been taking philosophy or something?" joked Kagome._

_Kikyo just gave her that gentle smile that she loved. "You know? I have something for you." She then reached into her pocket._

_"Kikyo you didn't have to get me anything," Kagome said drying her hands. "I still owe you for the great christmas present." _

_Kikyo just smiled again and said, "I found this in an old bookstore… and something just tells me that it belongs with you." She then pulled out a small, red and worn-out book._

_"The Demon King?" said Kagome taking the book carefully and staring at the title._

_"I know how much you love books like this and I thought that you would enjoy it."_

_Kagome gave her a big smile and a hug. "Thanks Kikyo. I promise to start reading it tonight." Kikyo just nodded. "Kagome?"_

_"Yeah?"_

_"Just remember… not everything is what it seems; sometimes you have to look beyond to really see. Don't take anything for granted. And most importantly, remember that the fairy tales in books are what we read to children before they go to sleep. But living in one is a completely different story, and once the book is shut, nothing is a wonderful as we first thought."_

_"Kikyo," said Kagome slowly. "You're making it sound as if I'm going somewhere and might never come back." Kikyo shrugged. "I just have a feeling that I need to tell you this. Promise me that you'll remember it?"_

_"Of course I do," and she hugged her cousin again. They had finished the dishes and were heading into the living room when Kikyo spoke again, "Kagome?"_

_Kagome looked up from the plain title of the book, "Yes?"_

_"It's alright. You can tell people what you want too you know?"_

_-End of Flashback-_

Kagome's mother had given her a kiss on the head before she left the room. There was a click of her door closing, then the sounds of her mother retreating downstairs. A brief goodbye to Sota, the door opening then closing, then a car starting up, and pulling away from the Shrine. Kagome stretched out on her bed and pulled her book towards her; she opened it to the very beginning and read, _'Where everything seems possible and nothing is what it seems.'_

_There is a place where things are sent when they are to be forgotten or taken away._

_They do not go. They are sent._

_This is important._

_The passageway serves as a link between all worlds. Portals opened and shut, things were taken through and then swiftly moved out. Nothing ever entered the space of its own accord. And on the rare occasions that they did enter, they are…dealt with._

_Something different is comimg. And there was the problem in itself. It was coming, not being taken._

_This was wrong. This was not how it was supposed to be._

That part always gave Kagome the creeps. The worst part is that being alone in the shrine, always made it even more creepy. It was silent.

"Kagomeeee!"

Well, maybe not so silent. Kagome buried her head in her pillow again, in hopes that maybe her brother would forget about her and go to bed on his own. No such luck.

The door to her bedroom flew open, and Sota ran in, jumping on his prone sister.

"Ugh… Sota! You weigh more than Buyo does!"

She received a pillow in the face for that comment.

"Sis, can you tell me a story? Pleeeeeeeaaaaase?"

Kagome rolled her eyes, shoving Sota off her stomach.

"No," she said simply, and then flopped back over. Her hair had half fallen out of its loose bun, and the twig crown was painfully tangled in it.

"Please? I promise not to bug you… for now."

At least he was honest. "Will you take your medicine and get ready for bed right now?"

Sota considered for a moment, his face screwed up in thought. Finally, he reluctantly agreed. Kagome ushered him out of her room, shutting the door behind him, and then sat to her table lined against the wall across her bed.

After a long few minutes of painful hair tugging and muffled profanity, Kagome managed to wrestle the twig crown out of her hair, and brush it until it was glossy again. She lay her hairbrush down, and then smiled at the music box she'd laid it next to. It was a glass prism with five sides, showing five different views of the small doll inside.

Picking up the music box, Kagome wound the key at the bottom, and then watched as the doll turned with the tinkling music. The doll wore a long, yet plain, white dress, (similar to the dress that Kagome was wearing) and had silver flowers in her hair. It was one of the prettiest things Kagome owned.

"Sis?"

Her door creaked open, and Sota cautiously popped his face inside. He was wearing his ninja pajamas, and nervously fidgeted with his fingers while he waited for her. With a smile, Kagome followed him back into his room, shutting of the light in her own as she did so.

After tucking him in, Kagome kneeled on the floor next to his bed, scratching at the blue comforter as she thought of inspiration. The Demon King was her favorite story, as was Sota's.

"Once upon a time," she began, ignoring Sota's groan at the cheesy beginning. "There was a beautiful young girl. She lived with her family in feudal Japan, many centuries ago. Her mother always made her stay home and watch after her younger brother when she went out to work in the fields. The young girl loved her brother with all her heart, but she was very sad, because her brother was always sick and she had to take care of him. This meant the girl rarely ever had time to herself, except when she went out to get water or collect herbs.

One day, when her brother had gotten over a bad fever, she went out to the old well to get water. On her way there, she saw a demon leaning up against a tree, resting from injuries. She had never seen anyone as handsome as this demon. So she hid behind a tree and gazed at him for a long time. It was then that she saw that he had deep wounds covering his body, along with a green liquid that looked like it might have been poison. The girl knew that if he didn't get help soon he would die. So she mustered up her courage and went to him. Naturally, the demon didn't want anything to do with a human girl and tried to scare her away. But he had lost so much blood that he couldn't even stand up on his own.

She told him that she wasn't going to hurt him. She said that she wanted to help him. The demon told her that there wasn't anything that she could do to help and that she should just run home. The girl then left after that, but she didn't go home. She went to the well to get water and to pick herbs for the demon. She returned soon after that, and offered him the bucket of cold water; which he drank greedily. She could see that he was surprised that she had returned, and he stared at her as if he had never seen a human before.

The demon demanded to know why she was doing this. The girl replied that she wanted to help him. No other reason. She told him that he had poison in his wounds and if they weren't treated, then even a demon would soon die. After that, he swallowed his pride and allowed the girl to treat his wounds. Every day for the next few weeks, she would go to him, and she brought him food, water, and medicine each time. She would change his bandages, and give him special antidotes and over time, the poison was pushed out of his system. When she went to see him, they would talk for long periods of time. It was then that she found out that he wasn't a complete demon, but a half-demon. His father had been the Demon King of the Spirit World, who had fallen in love with his human mother.

His father had died recently and so the half-demon had just taken the throne, which meant that he was now the new ruler of the Spirit World. Not long ago, he had picked a fight with a powerful, evil demon and had been injured in the process. With his last ounce of energy, he was able to defeat the demon and fled here to rest. The girl was very surprised at this and she listened to him tell his stories about the Spirit World, the creatures that lived there, and his role as a Demon King.

She also told him of her life, how she wished that she would be free of all worry, and that she could see his kingdom in the Spirit World. The two of them had grown very close over the next few weeks, until the Demon King was well enough to leave. The girl had grown sad that she would lose her dear friend, but she knew that he had to return to his kingdom. But from that moment on, the Demon King would visit her village and watch her from a distance. He made sure that she was always safe and well. But the villagers had spotted him one day, as he was watching the girl. They had feared that she would become his next victim.

But what no one knew was that the Demon King had secretly fallen in love with the girl. No one had ever been that kind to him before, and she had been the only person to treat him as a living creature, since his own beloved mother. When the girl realized that the Demon King was watching over her, she would often leave and meet him beneath the tree where they first met. One night, when the brother had grown particularly sick, she turned to the Demon King for help.

"Say the right words," the Demon King said. "And I'll take the boy away with me, and you can be free." Ah! But the girl knew that the Demon King would keep her brother in his castle forever and ever, and turn him into a demon. So she held her mouth. But one night, when the girl was tired from housework, hurt by her mother's ignorance, and tired of having the village men asking for her hand in marriage, she could stand it no longer."

"Yeah? Keep going!" yelled Sota

Kagome glowered at her younger brother. So much for taking a break! "I want to get a glass of water!"

"You can get a glass of water after you finished the story."

With a flourish, Kagome stood up, arms outstretched and eyes flashing. Her voice thundered as she cried, "Demon King! Demon King! Wherever you may be! Take this child far away from me!"

At that moment lighting flashed outside the bedroom, and a thunderous BOOM had erupted, that caused Kagome and Sota to jump. The lights had gone out, leaving them in the darkness.

"Creepy," said Sota as they listened to the heavy rain hit the window.

"It's only a power out, Sota," said Kagome softly. "There's nothing to be worried about. That's strange. The weather man didn't say anything about rain tonight."

"When is the weather man ever right?"

"You make a good point. Listen, I'm gonna get a drink now, alright Sota?"

"Yeah… whatever… just hurry back."

Kagome bit her lip to hold back in the snarl, and walked briskly to the door. It took her a minute to find her way to the door, and to find the handle. Then she swung it open and stepped into the dark hallway, letting the door click sharply behind her. She leaned against the wood, feeling her temper slowly rise. Spreading her fingers against the doorway, she tilted her head to the left, her mouth near the crack of the door.

"Sometimes, I wish demons _would _come take you away…"

Then she rose off the doorway, and walked downstairs for a drink. If she'd stayed, maybe she would have heard the insane giggling coming from inside, followed by the sounds of a man chuckling.

"_As you wish."_


	2. InuyashaThe Demon King

**Chapter 2: Inuyasha-The Demon King**

Sometimes he liked to think about how he'd gotten here, how he'd become the infamous Demon King-The ruler of the Spirit World. Part of it had something to do with his father being the Lord of the Spirit World, feared by demon, human, spirits, goblins, and all creatures alike. Lord InuTaisho, the dog demon, who's title fell into the hands of his first son Sesshomaru who now ruled over a kingdom in another dimension.

The greatest demon the Spirit World had ever known whose heart had been captured by a mere human. The Princess Izayoi had somehow captured InuTaisho's heart, and he hers. But when he fathered another son, his loyal followers became outraged.

A half-demon was above all the most shunned creatures that could ever exist. He could never be accepted. And so Inuyasha, at mere infancy, was banished to the Spirit World; an unruly Kingdom full of demons. His mother took care of him, loving him until she became deathly ill, and passed away. Years had gone by. Inuyasha was the youngest King the Spirit World had, and to top it all off, he was only half-demon! A young, half-demon King of the most disorderly kingdom ever created; as if his life wasn't bad enough.

It was that day, while he was resting in his Castle overlooking the Spirit World, when he heard her. He had heard that lovely, soft voice once again. It sounded like she was telling the story again. Inuyasha felt a warm pulse against his chest, and reached a clawed hand inside his fire-rat robe to find what caused it. It was small, round jewel, or more specifically _his _jewel. A faint image showed through, and he watched in fascination as the shape of a beautiful woman shown through. Raven black hair, sparkling chocolate-brown eyes, and soft pale skin. Captivated by this human, Inuyasha began to listen.

_'But what no one knew was that the Demon King had secretly fallen in love with the girl.'_

The Demon King? So she was telling her brother the story of the Demon King again? He smiled as he listened to her beautiful voice; he loved listening to her stories.

_ 'No one had ever been that kind to him before, and she had been the only person to treat him as a living creature, since his own beloved mother. When the girl realized that the Demon King was watching over her, she would often leave and meet him beneath the tree where they first met. One night, when the brother had grown particularly sick, she turned to the Demon King for help.'_

_"Say the right words," the Demon King said. "And I'll take the boy away with me, and you can be free." Ah! But the girl knew that the Demon King would keep her brother in his castle forever and ever, and turn him into a demon. So she held her mouth. But one night, when the girl was tired from housework, hurt by her mother's ignorance, and tired of having the village men asking for her hand in marriage, she could stand it no longer."_

_"Yeah? Keep going!"_ said the boy. Inuyasha silently agreed. He wanted to continue to listen to her story.

He watched as his sister glowered at her younger brother. _"I want to get a glass of water!"_

_"You can get a glass of water after you finished the story."_

With a flourish, Kagome stood up, arms outstretched and eyes flashing. Her voice thundered as she cried, _"Demon King! Demon King! Wherever you may be! Take this child far away from me!"_ Inuyasha had to hold back a laugh. Did she really think that old rubbish was going to work? If she wanted him to take the kid away, she just needed to wish for it. None of that rhyming crap. As he chuckled over this, he decided to make the mood more… interesting, and called forth a thunderstorm. He saw the lighting flashed outside the window, and a thunderous BOOM had erupted, that caused them both to jump. He also decided to make the power go out, and he left them in the darkness. He smiled as he saw the little boy shake slightly.

_"Creepy," he heard Sota say._

_"It's only a power out, Sota,"_ said Kagome softly, trying to comfort him. _"There's nothing to be worried about. That's strange. The weather man didn't say anything about rain tonight."_

_ "When is the weather man ever right?" _

_'You're right about that one kid,' _thought Inuyasha.

_"You make a good point. Listen, I'm gonna get a drink now, alright Sota?"_

_"Yeah… whatever… just hurry back."_

Inuyasha felt himself frown at the boy. He saw her bit her lip and knew that she was fighting to hold back a snarl. She got up and walked briskly to the door. He then watched her, as she swung it open and stepped into the hallway, letting the door click sharply behind her. She leaned against the wood, feeling her temper slowly rise. Spreading her fingers against the doorway, she tilted her head to the left, her mouth near the crack of the door. And he heard her whispered plea,

_"Sometimes, I wish demons **would** come take you away…"_

Inuyasha grinned, slightly surprised. This should be interesting.

"_As you wish."_

* * *

Kagome stood in her kitchen, a cup of water in one hand, the counter clutched in the other. How silly she was to let her little brother see an outburst like that. He was probably in fits of laughter over it right now.

Pursing her lips, Kagome looking down, then realized she was still wearing the white dress from earlier. She had to remember to change before she went to bed. '_Well, I suppose it's time to go back up now,_' she thought, draining the rest of her water. With a determined look on her face, she marched up the stairs, lifting the bottom of her dress up so that she wouldn't trip, and walked back into her brother's room. She was greeted with insane giggling.

Rolling her eyes, Kagome sat on the edge of his bed, poking her brother's foot through the blanket.

"Ok, Sota, I'm back now. You can stop laughing."

Sota fell silent. With a smile, Kagome continued. "Now, would you like me to continue with the story? Or do you want to go to sleep?"

Silence.

"Sota, don't ignore me. I'm talking to you."

More silence.

"Sota, I'm serious now! I heard you giggling before, so I know you're not sleeping. What's wrong?"

Greeted with even more silence, Kagome began to panic. Why wasn't her brother answering her? What was wrong with him?

His shape underneath the bed shifted suddenly, too suddenly. Narrowing her eyes, Kagome slowly leaned forward, her hand reached to the top of his blanket. Sota's form twitched a couple more times, and then fell still.

Slim fingers grasped the tip of his blanket, and suddenly yanked it back. Where Kagome's little brother once rested, now was nothing. She was alone in the darkness.

Kagome saw something move out of the corner of her eye, but when she turned to look it was gone. There was a sound from behind her, as if someone had opened Sota's dresser drawer then closed it really fast when she spun around. It happened a few more times, confusing the poor girl to no end. She could hear the sounds of giggling, and little footsteps, as if there were at least a dozen little kids running around in the dark.

A brilliant flash of lightening illuminated the room for a brief second, and the windows flew open. Wind and rain poured in, and Kagome briefly covered her face from whatever was coming. When she removed her arms, someone stood at the window.

Kagome had never seen someone more handsome or intimidating. His long silver hair reached below his waist, and he had beautiful golden eyes that seemed to pierce your soul. Talons adorned his hands instead of fingernails, and atop his head were… doggy ears?

For a moment, Kagome completely forgot that her brother was missing in the middle of a blackout and that there was a strange man that had seemingly blown through the window. All she wanted to do was touch those adorable dog ears. Fortunately, she managed to control her urges.

"Who… who are you?" she asked, her brow narrowing. The man smirked.

"You were the one, who called me, wench, you should know."

The nerve! The nerve of him to enter her house just like that and start calling her a wench. Kagome felt steam coming out of her ears and her eyes beginning to blaze and knew her temper was returning.

"Called you? I never called you! I don't even know who you are!"

The man's eyebrows arched up, and he walked closer to her. Kagome felt like taking a few steps back, but at the moment was too riled up to do so.

"Demon King! Demon King! Wherever you may be! Take this child far away from me!'" he mimicked, closing in on her until they were only inches apart. He towered over her, a fact that intimidated her more than she would show. She'd always been on the smaller side for her age.

Kagome felt her face pale. "You… _you're _the Demon King?" she stuttered, finding it hard to believe that the King of the Spirit World had dog ears.

_Or such a good physique…_

Kagome was glad for the darkness that hid her blush. Luckily, he seemed a little too insulted to notice.

"Of course I am! Who were you expecting…? Santa Claus?"

"Well, sort of…" Kagome admitted sheepishly. The man rolled his eyes.

"I am Inuyasha, King of the Demons in the Spirit World," he said, his voice raising a few octaves as he spoke. "You wished your brother away, and I answered your request. Now I believe I shall be going."

Inuyasha turned to leave, when he felt a hand tug on the sleeve of his shirt.

"Wait!" Kagome cried. When he turned to face her, she gulped down her pride, and forced out, "I'd like my brother back, please."

Inuyasha snorted. "What's said is said. You cannot reverse it. In thirteen hours, your brother will turn into a demon, and live in the Spirit World with the others."

"I didn't mean it! I was just angry when I said all that! You have to return him! Please…"

"Kagome…" he faced her again. Kagome never questioned how he knew her name. "Go back to your room… and forget your brother."

"I can't!" Kagome tightened her grip on his shirt to try and persuade him. "Please, Inuyasha, give me my brother back."

Inuyasha smirked again, slipping his hand into his robe and pulling something out. "I have a gift for you."

Confused, Kagome narrowed her eyes. "What is it?"

Opening his palm, Inuyasha revealed a small crystal, the size of a marble, luminous with its own light. Entranced, Kagome reached for the crystal, only to have him pull it away from her. "It's a jewel. The Sacred Jewel. And it's all yours if you forget about him. This jewel has the power to show you things."

"What kind of things?" asked Kagome in a hesitant tone?

Inuyasha merely smiled and said, "Your dreams. This little jewel has the power to show you your dreams. All of your hopes, wishes, and memories… even ones that we seem to have forgotten."

Kagome was startled. What did he mean by the memories that we had forgotten? She didn't know or care right now. Biting her lip, Kagome pushed his hand away. "I don't want your jewel if I can't have my brother. I mean… it's not that I don't appreciate everything you're doing for me… but please give me my brother back."

The Demon King, surprised, smiled slightly. "I admire your determination. Your brother is in my castle, back there. Are you sure you still want him?"

Resolute, Kagome nodded. With a grin, he grabbed her hand and pulled her with him through the window.

Kagome gasped. Instead of seeing the rain-soaked grounds of her family Shrine, she was standing on top of a small hill, overlooking a field of tall grass. The field stretched through hills, mountains, rivers, swamps, forests, and gardens. In the very distance, so far that she could just barely make out the image of a castle.

"'Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered…'" whispered Kagome, in awe. The faint silhouette of a castle could be made out from her vantage point. When she turned around to look back at her house, it was gone. Instead, she saw Inuyasha standing with that infuriatingly smug grin still on his face. One of his fangs, she noticed, poked over his bottom lip.

_He has fangs… _she thought. _I wonder what it would be like to kiss him._

Face burning, Kagome quickly wiped that fleeting thought from her mind and looked back towards the Spirit World.

"Is that your castle?" she asked, one finger extended in that direction. Inuyasha didn't directly answer.

"It's farther than it looks. Turn back now while you still have time."

"It doesn't look _that _far," scoffed Kagome.

Inuyasha's face became serious. "Remember, in the Spirit World, nothing is what it seems. You can't take anything for granted." He was quiet for a moment before going on saying, "It's not too late. Turn back, Kagome while you still have a chance."

'Can't take anything for granted?' It's just like what Kikyo had once said to her. The day that she gave her the book, _'Not everything is what it seems, you need to look pass the obvious, and be careful what you wish for._' Oh, how she wished that she had listened. Kikyo had been right. You don't appreciate something until it's gone. If she ever got out of this mess, she promised herself that she would always never complain about Sota again.

Kagome sighed. She needed to do this. She needed to find Sota… no matter how far she had to go. "You don't understand," she said quietly. "I need to get my brother back."

With an exasperated groan, Inuyasha gave in. "Fine, wench! You have 13 hours to find your brother, before he becomes one of us. 13!"

Just as Kagome was about to angrily confront him about the whole "wench" business, Inuyasha disappeared. Kagome huffed. "Jerk!" she yelled into the sky, knowing that he probably hadn't heard her anyways.

Kagome looked back at the Spirit World. Surely it wasn't _that _hard.

"Well, come on feet, let's get going."

(Please tell me what you think of this story and if i should continue it)


	3. First Hour The Spirit World

**Chapter 3: The First Hour-The Spirit World**

_'I hate this! I hate this so much!'_ Kagome thought bitterly to herself as she made her way across the field, towards a treacherous mountain area covered with boulders and steep footing. Kagome was faced with a problem. How did she get herself into such a big problem? How was she to get to Inuyasha's castle in less than 13 hours?

_'What am I going to do?'_ Though that thought was quickly erased when she noticed ugly plants that grew on the ground. Green, slimy, and… eyeballs on the end of their stalks. She had taken a step back away, as the little eyes turned their attention to her. They blinked up innocently at her. As she slowly and carefully made her way around the strange plants, she noticed a stone path. When she headed towards it, she saw a flash of orange dart in front of her.

She had stopped dead in her tracks, trying to make sense of what she saw. That was when she heard something.

"54… 55…"

A small, fox-demon child sighed angrily to himself, rubbing a tiny hand over his face. In his other hand he held a can of "Bug-be-gone!" for the parasite demons that were lurking around by the mountain. That was his job; to kill all of the parasite chrysalis, since they latch onto demons and take control of them.

"Stupid creatures," he muttered to himself. It was at that moment that Kagome had come down the hill. The little fox demon didn't even eye her twice, but sprayed yet another parasite.

"Got ya!" he yelled out happily.

"…56…"

Kagome looked around for the small voice, then found it's source somewhere near her feet. It was a little boy, with ginger-red hair, bright green eyes, and a poofy fox tail, legs, and ears. She fell in love instantly.

"Aww… aren't you the cutest little demon ever?" she cooed, bending down to pick him up. He struggled in her arms to get away as she hugged him.

"Lemme go! I'll let you know that I'm a powerful fox demon!"

Kagome blinked, dropping the little fox child and eyeing him suspiciously. "Sorry, I couldn't help myself. You are just the cutest thing that I've ever seen! Who are you?" she said innocently.

The boy puffed up his chest, and stretched to his full height (which barely came up to Kagome's knees). "I'm the great fox demon Shippo."

Kagome felt her eyebrows float up at his claim. "I guess that there are a lot of demons in the Spirit World?"

"Sure there are! You know Inuyasha, don't you? Well… he's a half-demon, but it's almost the same thing…"

Kagome had lost Shippo at the words "half-demon?" _Well it does explain his ears, _she thought. Wondering out loud, Kagome murmured, "It's just like the story…"

Shippo cocked his head in confusion. "What story?" he then leapt up and yelled out, "I love stories! Can you tell me? Can ya? Can ya? Can ya? I have to say you are the nicest…" he took a quick sniff before his eyes widened.

"You're a human!" it wasn't a question.

Feeling humiliated, Kagome rubbed the back of her neck. "Is that a problem?" she asked, hoping that he wouldn't turn against her just for being human.

"Well, it just that you don't see too many humans in the Spirit World," he answered. "I've meet a few, but they're always so busy." He suddenly smiled again and said, "But you're the nicest person I've ever met!" Kagome smiled along with him; she couldn't help it. He was so cute! A flutter caught her eye, and Kagome found her attention caught by a giant bug-like creature. It was almost as large as Shippo was, and looked like a cross between a giant beetle and a tick.

"Aha! 57!" Shippo yelled, spraying giant bug. Kagome gasped in horror.

"Eww, what is that thing?" she asked in disgust.

"A parasite chrysalis," he answered annoyed. "Watch out for them. They're not much of demons on their own, but they attach themselves to stronger demons and use them as their host. They control their minds, see? Although," he added as an afterthought. "You might not have to worry, because you're not a demon. But I would stay away from them if I were you."

Kagome made a mental note before sighing. "Shippo?" she asked sweetly.

"58… Yeah, what is it?"

"Do you know how to get to the Demon Kings castle?"

"Maybe."

"Well then, how do I get there?"

A particularly angry parasite bit Shippo on the thumb. "Why you little… 59!"

"I asked how?"

"How what?" Shippo asked without turning around.

"How do I get there?!"

"Get where?"

"The Demon King's… oh never mind. It's hopeless." Kagome sat back on the ground, propping her chin with her hand.

"Not if you ask the right questions," said Shippo, still bug hunting.

"Well, what are the right questions?"

Shippo stroked the top of his nose. "It depends on what you want to know."

"That's easy. How do I get to the Demon King's castle?"

Shippo sniffed, and his eyes twinkled. "Ah! Now that's more like it. You head in that direction." He nodded, indicating a small path that she didn't notice before. Although she could have sworn it had not been there a minute ago."You got to ask the right questions if you want to get anywhere in the Spirit World." The little fox demon was watching her now, curious as to what she was going to do. "You're really going there, aren't you?"

"I have to get my brother," was Kagome's only answer as she took off, afraid to waste anymore time.

Nearly half an hour later, Kagome had been walking, and nothing changed. It was _still _a long stretching path of mountain, except that now the damp ground was littered with branches and pieces of rotten wood. She kept walking until, just her luck, she came to a crossroads. She had two paths to take; and if she chose wrong, she could get lost in this world forever and never rescue Sota.

Kagome's feet were killing her. So she sat down on the dirt road to rest, while at the same time, tried to figure out which way to go.

"'Allo!" said a gentle voice from nowhere.

A little girl that looked no older than 8 had appeared from behind a large boulder. She had to be one of the cutest little girls that she had ever seen. She had long black hair that was tied into a small ponytail on one side of her head. An adorable smile and wide dark-brown eyes that was full of innocence.

"Did you say hello?" asked Kagome grinning at the girl.

"No, I said 'allo, but that's close enough," said the child, and Kagome knew that this was no demon, but a human child.

"What's your name?" she asked the girl.

"Oh, my name's Rin," she said happily stepping out from behind the boulder. "I came here to deliver a message from Lord Sesshomaru to his younger brother."

"Rin?" repeated Kagome. "That is an adorable name." Rin smiled even wider at her. Kagome then stood up, and brushed the dirt off her dress and asked, "Who's Lord Sesshomaru?"

"Oh, he's the ruler of another dimension. He asked me to deliver a message to his brother," answered Rin innocently.

_'She's so cute,'_ thought Kagome. "I don't suppose that you know the way through the Spirit World?" she asked, hopeful.

"The entire Spirit World? No, I'm just a kid," said Rin shaking her head. "Like I said, I only came here to deliver a message."

"Oh." said Kagome hoping she didn't sound too disappointed. "Well, I have to keep going. But I don't know which way to turn here."

Rin said, "You're one of the first humans I've seen in a long time. The other few humans here are all too busy to really talk with."

"There are other humans here?" asked Kagome in surprise.

"Not many, but a few," she answered.

"Where are they, then?" asked Kagome.

Rin just shrugged. "I don't know. They're all scattered everywhere. And I have to go home now. Do you want to come with me?" she asked sweetly.

"I wish I could Rin," answered Kagome unhappily. "But I have to find my brother in less than 13 hours. But I don't know the way."

"Oh! I'm sure that you'll find him," Rin said.

"But how am I..." began Kagome.

"Things aren't always what they seem here," Rin cut in, echoing Inuyasha's words from earlier. "You can't take anything for granted in this place."

Kagome thought that over for a minute before she said, "Thanks for the advice. But I really should keep going." She walked pass Rin and said, "It was nice meeting you Rin. I hope we meet up again soon." She turned to go left, but Rin's warning stopped her.

"Wait! Don't go that way!" Rin cried and Kagome stopped in her tracks. "What?" she asked.

"I said, don't go that way! It's not safe that way!" said Rin in a worried voice.

Kagome grinned, and then started off on the right path. "Thanks!" she called out.

"If she'd gone that way," said Rin once Kagome was out of earshot. "She'd have gone straight to the castle. Not a safe place to be right now, especially with Inuyasha in such a bad mood from the message he got from Lord Sesshomaru."

_ "Just remember… nothing is what it seems. Don't take anything for granted. And most importantly, remember that the fairy tales in books are what we read to children before they go to sleep. But living in one is a completely different story, and once the book is shut, nothing is a wonderful as it seems to be."_

_"Kikyo," said Kagome slowly. "You're making it sound as if I'm going somewhere and might never come back." Kikyo shrugged. "I just have a feeling that I need to tell you this. Promise me that you'll remember it?"_

_"Of course I do," and she hugged her cousin again. They had finished the dishes and were heading into the living room when Kikyo spoke again, "Kagome?"_

_Kagome looked up from the plain title of the book, "Yes?"_

_"It's alright. You can tell people what you want too you know?"_

The conversation that she had with Kikyo that day was repeating itself over and over again in Kagome's mind. 'Nothing is what it seems… don't take anything for granted…' it was almost as if Kikyo knew that something like this would happen.

She would be sure to ask Kikyo as soon as she got out of this place… if she got out that is. She shuttered at that thought before running on.

Whoever said that mazes are fun should be dragged out into the street and beaten to death. That, or Kagome could at least punch them in the face. Kagome had been running around in circles for the last 10 minutes and she was getting close to crying again. She was in the chain of mountains that she had seen from the top of the hill, and was lost in a maze of boulders, rocks, and stone. She kept going through turns and openings, and pass strange sculptures and statues only to realize that she had passed the same statue 3 times.

She picked up a sharp rock and started to make little arrows to show pointing to the direction she came from. As she took another path, she saw that it lead to a dead end. She turned back to take another path, but saw that the little arrow she made had disappeared.

"Oh no… my mark disappeared! It's not fair!" she cried out in frustration. "So unfair!"

There was laughter following her statement. "That's right! Nothing's fair in the Spirit World."

The deep voice caused her to jump. She spun around to see where the voice had come from… and the voice that spoke proved to be one of two heads on a large, snakelike body that were standing in the dead end behind her. There were two demons, one was red, the other blue, with long tails instead of legs. But the two tails seem to be merged together, connecting the two demons. They appeared to be guarding two doors that suddenly appeared where Kagome had thought was a dead end.

"Who are you?" she asked them.

The two demons smiled, "I'm Ginka," said the blue demon. "This is my brother Kinka. And we guard the doors."

"This wasn't here a minute ago! It was a dead end!"

Kinka laughed. "No, that's the dead end behind you."

Kagome spun around at that. The direction she'd come in was now a solid rock wall. "How…?" she exclaimed. "It keeps changing! Now what am I supposed to do?"

Kinka spoke. "That depends greatly on where you're trying to get to."

Kagome let out another frustrated sigh, "I'm trying to get to the Demon King's castle. But how can I get there if I'm trapped here?"

Kinka spoke again, "Well, the only way out of here is to try one of these doors."

Ginka continued, "One will lead you to the castle but the other…"

"…Leads to certain death!" finished Kinka.

While the two of them began to laugh, Kagome gulped.

"Which is which, then?" she asked.

"We can't tell you," answered Ginka. Kagome saw that one coming.

"Why not?" she asked desperately.

"We're under orders not to let anyone pass unless they ask for the correct door," answered Kinka this time.

"Then which door is the correct one?" asked Kagome. Kinka then raised a finger and shook it back in forth in front of Kagome's face.

"Nah nah nah. You can't ask both of us, you can only ask one of us," Kinka said. "Those are our orders. But I should warn you that…"

"One of us always lies," explained Ginka. "And one always tells the truth."

"It's simple, he's a liar!" Kinka, pointing at Ginka.

"No I'm not!"

"What a lie…"

"Ha ha ha!"

"Ok I get it!" Kagome interrupted. She turned to the Kinka. "Answer me yes or no. Would he…" pointing to Ginka, "…tell me that this door leads to the castle?"

Kinka paused, thinking it over. "Uh… yes."

Kagome smiled triumphantly. "Then this door leads to the castle!" she proclaimed, pointing to the other one. Kinka spoke up. "Now how do you know that? He could be telling the truth.

"Yes," Kagome agreed. "But then you wouldn't be. So if you tell me that he would say yes, then the answer is no."

"But what if I'm telling the truth?"

"Then he'd be lying. So if you told me that he would say yes, the answer would still be no."

"Wait a minute…" said Kinda looking at his brother, "Is that right?"

Ginka shrugged, "I don't know. I've never understood it."

They both started to laugh again, as Kagome smiled. "No, it's right. I figured it out." While the guards then stood back to let Kagome through, she couldn't help but suffer from the sin of pride… that is before she went plummeting through a trap door.

"Aaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" she screamed as she fell. Just when she thought that it was over for her, hair-like threads came out of nowhere and she landed in a net of hair. She was in a net that was made of hair that stretched out into a shaft of darkness. "Yuck," she said, grimacing. "What is this? Hair?" she cried out to herself.

"Oh my, oh me," said a female voice. "You can see it then… my net of hairs I mean." A young woman appeared out of the darkness and was standing on the wire-like hair as if it were a tightrope. "Pity… cause seeing alone isn't enough."

She has long, black hair, which she has tied up in a fan-like style and violet colored eyes. Kagome knew right away that she was a demon, but unlike the other demons that she met, this one was by far the most human-like. She took the appearance of a young girl wearing traditional female ninja garb. Her ninja tunic was black, cutoff midway at her thighs, and sleeveless with straps on her shoulders like a tank-top. She also wore a bright yellow sash which tied at the front of her outfit. On her arms, she wears thin, tight and dark arm guards on both of her hands which is holstered by her middle finger and extends beyond her wrists. Lastly, she wore thin, tight, dark leg/foot guards on both of her legs which start midway from her shins down to her middle toes, held by thin straps at her arches; leaving her practically barefoot. Kagome saw that the thread of hairs from the net of hair that she was lying in, were connected to her hand.

She gave her a small wave and said, "How-do-you-do? I'm Yūra of the hair. Which way? Up or down?"

Kagome could do nothing but stare at the woman who just gave her a wicked smile. "I'm… I'm not sure I know what you mean…"

"Which way? Up or down?" Yūra repeated.

"Which way?" repeated Kagome confused.

"Well hurry up, I don't have all day."

"A little help would be nice!" Kagome said, glaring at her.

"I am helping. I'm holding you up and asking which way you want to go! Now which way is it gonna be? Do you want to go up or down?"

"Well…" Kagome mused. "I suppose since I'm pointed that way, I'll go down."

Yūra laughed at her. "I can't believe that you chose down!"

Kagome was suddenly scared. "Was that wrong?"

"Too late now!"

The net of hairs holding her suddenly broke, and Kagome found herself plummeting downwards into the darkness…

She fell for a short time before landing hard on her bottom in a dark room. The only light was coming from the shaft above her, dimly illuminating her face.


	4. Second Hour Another Door Opens

**Chapter 4: The Second Hour- Another Door Opens**

Inuyasha watched from his castle as Kagome sat in the dark after meeting Yūra of the Demon Hair. The demons in his throne room looked at him expectantly.

"She's in the Oubliette now…" he said to himself.

Inuyasha watched the girl in the jewel, a frown on his face. "I should've known that she would never give up…"

Kagome sighed, still sitting on her bottom after landing in this dark, dank place. "Should've chosen up," she muttered. "Now what am I going to do?"

The sound of footsteps approaching reached her ears. Standing up (and rubbing her sore bottom), Kagome called, "Who's there?"

A small door opened, and light poured in from a lantern held by a small figure. Kagome recognized the small fox ears and tail almost immediately.

"Shippo!" she cried, overjoyed that he was here.

"Well, I knew you were going to get into trouble," he said matter-of-factly. "So I've come to help you. I was worried that you were mad at me so I came to see what was wrong," the sad look on his face almost broke her heart.

"Oh, Shippo," she said softly. "I wasn't angry at you when I ran off like that. But you see… Inuyasha has my little brother in his castle and he's giving me 13 hours to rescue him. Although…" she added as she thought about it, "I think I have less than 12 hours now."

"He is?" asked Shippo in amazement. "I know that Inuyasha can be a real jerk sometimes… but I didn't think that he would ever do anything like this."

"I'm afraid so…" said Kagome. "I know that this is my fault but still… he didn't have to do all this." A thought suddenly came to her. "You know? I don't think I ever told you my name? I'm Kagome. And thank you for coming here."

"Kagome?" repeated Shippo. "That's pretty."

She smiled at him before looking around her, "Where are we?"

"Wondering when you were going to ask. This is an Oubliette. The Spirit World's full of them."

"Oh," said Kagome, nodding as if she understood. In truth, she had no idea what an Oubliette was.

Shippo sighed, obviously seeing through her. "You don't even know what it is, do you?"

"Do you?" Kagome countered, not really wanting her lack of knowledge of the Spirit World to be made fun of.

"Yeah, it's a place you put people, to forget about them. I know a short-cut out of here and back to earth."

"No! I've come too far… I'm not giving up now!" Kagome crossed her arms. "I think I'm doing ok."

"Of course you are," said Shippo, not really listening, but looking for something on the ground. "But it gets a lot worse from here on in."

She sat on a large rock and asked, "Why are you so worried about me?"

Shippo paused, looking at Kagome over his shoulder. "Uh, what?"

"Why would you come all this way, when you could just leave me here and go about your merry business?"

"Well… I was worried that you were angry at me," he said, a little defensively. "And you are the nicest person that I've met here and…" he trailed off. Kagome gave him a gentle smile, and before she knew it, she was giving him a hug. "Thank you," she said again.

Shippo blushed and turned his head away. "Shipp?" Kagome asked quietly. "I know that it's a lot to ask, but can you help me find my brother?"

Shippo shifted uncomfortably and Kagome could see that he was scared of helping her. She knew that he was scared what would happen to him if Inuyasha found out. But she also knew that Shippo was a little kid. And all little kids liked toys, right? Fishing through her jean pocket, beneath her dress, Kagome eyed what she had. A marble, a couple of pennies, an elastic band, a pink plastic bracelet, and some pieces of candy, those should work.

"You like candy, don't you?" she asked, holding up the small piece of candy. Shippo's mouth watered.

"Why?" he asked, trying to sound like he didn't care, but sounding a little desperate instead.

Kagome's mind was whirring. "If you help me get to the castle, I'll give you this." She smiled at his expression. "And when I get home I'll get you a whole sack of candy."

Shippo bit his lip, and then spoke up. "Tell you what. You give me the candy, and I'll show you the way out of the Spirit World."

"You were going to do that anyways!"

"Well…"

Kagome sighed, trying to think of something else. "Then take me as far as you can, and I'll do the rest on my own."

"What is that, anyways?"

"Chocolate."

"Oooh…" Shippo seemed torn. He looked around the room as if making sure that no one was watching and said, "I don't want to get into trouble… but I want to help you. So I'll take you as far as I can. Then you're on your own, ok?" He narrowed his eyes at her, as if that could make her tell the truth.

"OK," said Kagome, giving him the chocolate.

Shippo didn't waste any time in devouring the candy. "Yummy…" Shippo murmured with a happy look on his face. Finally, he grabbed hold of Kagome's hand and led her to the opposite wall and knocked as if it were a door. As soon as he finished knocking, the form a door had appeared, and he reached up to push. Kagome had expected for it to lead to a larger part of the Oubliette. But to her surprised, it led instead, to a series of long, dim halls, lit up by a few tiny torches along the dark, stone walls.

"Here we go!" Shippo said excitedly, gesturing for Kagome to follow him. "Come on, then."

The halls were cold and damp, and Kagome shivered slightly. She wouldn't want to get lost down here. Shippo seemed to know his way, and for that Kagome was glad. They came to a fork in the path, and found themselves face to face with a statue of a Japanese warrior that appeared to be made of clay. Its mouth slid open with a rasping sound that filled the corridors.

"Leave now!"

Kagome jumped back from them in horror. All of a sudden, a few more clay soldiers had appeared and said, "You are heading in the wrong direction!"

"If you value your lives then turn around!"

"You might want to think twice about the path you walk! Beware!"

By now, Kagome was scared. What was this horrible danger that these clay soldiers were warning her about? And why was Shippo leading her straight there?

"Soon you will pay with your lives!"

Sensing her unease, Shippo turned to face her. "Just ignore them. They're false alarms. Their job is to scare people into going the wrong way. You'll get them a lot, especially when you're on the right track."

A nearby clay solider heard Shippo's comment. "Oh no, you're not!"

"Be quiet!"

"Sorry, just doing my job."

"Well, we don't need to hear it!"

"Beware, for the path you take will lead to certain death!"

Shippo rolled his eyes. "Yeah right."

Once Kagome calmed down, she also started to ignore the soldiers and continued to follow Shippo for about 25 minutes. Just when she was about to ask how much longer they had to go, she looked down a dark corridor. That's when she spotted another familiar figure, only it was one that she didn't really want to see. "Uh oh," she said.

Shippo stopped walking and turned to look at her in confusion. "What is it Kagome?" he looked where she was looking and gone pale, "Uh oh," he repeated.

It was Inuyasha.

Inuyasha smiled a toothy, smug grin that exposed both his fangs. "What do we have here?"

"N-nothing," stuttered Shippo. "Your majesty! What a nice surprise."

"Hello Shippy."

"Shippo," the little demon corrected, embarrassed.

"Shippo, why are you helping her?"

Shippo coughed. "H-helping? In what sense?"

Inuyasha bent over, his amber eyes glowing dangerously. "In the sense of leading her towards the castle, runt."

"Erm, well, I…I… I don't know what you're talking about. I was actually leading her back to earth."

"What?" said Kagome, looking down at Shippo in shock.

_'Nice going Shippo,' _he thought, mentally smacking himself on the head. Now he had two people mad at him. Two big people, who could easily take him down; one that scared him to death, and one that he like and didn't want her to hate him. "I told her I would help her, when actually…"

"What's that all over your mouth?" Inuyasha interrupted, looking at the chocolate that he had smeared around Shippo's lips. Shippo looked at him and gulped.

"Ah, this? I suppose it must have been mud when I tripped and fell and…"

Growling, Inuyasha whispered, "If I thought for one minute you were planning to betray me, I'd dump you off in the Forest of Sorrow."

Shippo whimpered. "Not the Forest of Sorrow…"

Satisfied that Shippo was now too scared to even think about helping Kagome on, he stood up and turned to said girl, smirk back in place.

"And you, girl, how are you enjoying my Spirit World? Give up yet?"

Refusing to give in, Kagome stood up straighter and looked Inuyasha right in the eye. "Why are you doing this? I just want my brother back! Just give him to me and I'll leave!"

He smiled again… she didn't like the way that he was looking at her… it wasn't because he was the king of demons… it was because that smile seemed so… familiar. As if she had seen this man somewhere before… but that was impossible… wasn't it? She never met this man before all this started right? She could feel her heart beating in her chest… but she couldn't tell if it was from fear… or something else.

When he didn't answer, Kagome then said, "I'm doing just fine in your sick, twisted world."

Shippo groaned from beside her, covering his face with his tiny hands. This wasn't going to be good.

"Oh really?" Inuyasha snarled, his temper flared up. "How about upping the stakes then? If you don't find your brother in time… then you will live in my castle, with me, for the rest of time.

Kagome's eyes widened in horror, "That's not fair!"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Ever hear the saying 'Life isn't fair?' This isn't fair but that's how it is!"

Then he disappeared, but not before snapping his fingers in the direction Kagome and Shippo were headed to. There were a whole gang of long, snake and wormlike creatures that filled up the whole corridor and it were coming straight towards them.

"Oh no!" cried Shippo jumping up into Kagome's arms.

"What are they?" Kagome yelled, holding onto her friend tightly as she stared in horror at the creatures that were racing towards them.

"Demons! Run!"

Kagome didn't need to be told twice. She took off down the corridor, carrying Shippo. The demons where dangerously coming closer and she could feel panic rising up in her chest, pushing her on further. Up ahead was a gate, she slammed into it, only to find it locked and bolted and with no way through.

"Now what do we do?" Shippo squealed, pressed up against the steel gate in fear. Chewing her lip, Kagome looked around for any other way out. She saw that on her right, parts of the stone wall had been damaged, and covered with wooden planks.

"Shippo, help me!" she cried, letting go of Shippo and pushing the wooden boards. They creaked under the pressure, but still didn't budge, and the demons were getting closer.

"Kagome, stand back!" yelled Shippo, before pointing both hands at the boards and crying, "Foxfire!"

A blue flame erupted from his hands, effectively knocking down the boards and revealing a ladder, and a way out. Grabbing Shippo's paw, Kagome jumped into the opening, just as the demons passed them and charged passed the gate.

Kagome and Shippo held onto each other for a long time, trying to get their terrified hearts to return to a normal pace. "That was a little too close for comfort..." panted Kagome, getting up from the floor and wiping her hands on her dress. Shippo scowled at her.

"You just had to mouth off, didn't you? Do you have any idea what you were getting us into by saying that?"

Kagome pouted, saying nothing.

"Well, follow me anyways." He started to climb up the ladder.

"Why should I?" Kagome finally spoke up, crossing her arms in true Kagome-fashion. "I can't trust you. You said you were going to lead me back to earth."

Still, climbing, Shippo looked back down at her. "I wasn't. I told him that so he wouldn't be suspicious. Try to see my point of view. I'm a little kid, and Inuyasha scares me. And I sure don't want to be thrown into the Forest of Sorrow."

"How can I believe you?"

"Kagome, I want to help you. But I don't want to get into trouble and then thrown into the Forest of Sorrow. Besides, do you have any other choice?"

He had a point. Again. With a heavy sigh, Kagome followed Shippo's small form as he climbed up the ladder. They eventually reached the top, which proved to be a large urn sitting atop a table.

_'How weird,' _thought Kagome, but not surprised. The scenery now had completely changed. She and Shippo were both standing in a large garden with tall hedges, and trees that created many different paths; almost like a maze. They both jumped out, and Shippo lead the way down a particular path while holding onto Kagome's hand. They had walked on for a long period of time, and Kagome knew that she had less than 11 hours before she and Sota became trapped in this world forever. Shippo hummed a random tune as they walked, and Kagome was lost in her thoughts. Mostly about Inuyasha.

_'What's his problem, anyways?' _she thought bitterly to herself._ 'Trying to stop me from saving my brother… and if I fail… I'll be forced to live with Inuyasha in his castle for the rest of my life… stupid Demon King… but… why does he seem so familiar to me? I know that I've met him somewhere before…?'_

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a furious yell and a strong wind from the other side of a bush.

"Wind Tunnel!"

Kagome blinked and looked down at Shippo, who blinked and looked back up at her. Simultaneously, they both looked in the direction the yell had come from, and peeked around the bush to see what was happening.

Inuyasha was sitting in his chambers again, arms crossed, and looking more like an angry child than a King. His thoughts were littered with the arrival of that _girl, _and the onslaught of emotions that came with it.

_Stupid girl. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Stupid Inuyasha._

Every time he saw her, he felt this weird over-protectiveness. Damn, he even felt jealous of the runt. He knew that Shippy, was it Shippy? Maybe it was Shoppo... no matter. The little fox was leading Kagome to the castle, and he knew that he shouldn't let it happen. But part of him _wanted _it to happen. He didn't want anything to interrupt him from watching the girl. Not even the annoying houseguest that just arrived a few seconds ago.

"Come on in Sess." Inuyasha shouted over at a door before he even heard a knock. His brother, Lord Sesshomaru had come in, and was walking towards him as calmly as he always did. He looked exactly the same as that last time he saw his brother. His long, white hair swayed gently, a blue crescent moon on his forehead, two red markings on each cheek and on the sides of his wrists as well as one red stripe on each of his eye lids.

Sesshomaru's armor includes a spiked pauldron that covers his left shoulder attached to the upper section of his cuirass. His Kimono was mostly white with a red honeycomb and flower crest at the collar and sleeves that matched the flat pointed ankle-high boots. And fur on his right shoulder that cascaded down like a tail.

"You still watching her?" Sesshomaru asked him in that cold and calm voice.

"Yes." Inuyasha growled at him.

"Look little brother, I don't know why you're pissed at me, I mean it's not my fault you took the little boy or that you can't see what's been right in front of you all along."

"And just what the hell is that supposed to mean?!" Inuyasha yelled as he spun around to glare at his older brother.

"It means the girl you moron." Sesshomaru responded without even blinking. Inuyasha just snorted and looked away. Sesshomaru turned away with an emotionless expression, "You know I'm right." He then left an angry Inuyasha behind him.

"Shut up Sesshomaru!" he barked after him. "Who asked you?"

Sesshomaru stopped, turned around for a brief moment and said, "If you don't tell her the truth… of the connection between the two of you… and what had happened in the past… then **I** will."

He left without another word.

Inuyasha merely cracked his fingers angrily as if longed to punch Sesshomaru. (Which he wanted to) But he knew that he had to hold back. He didn't want that damn Sessy to go and tell Kagome the truth… he would have to be patient. One of the many things that he was bad at.

So he turned his attention back towards the jewel and watched as Kagome and the fox looked cautiously around a bush for some reason. As if they were expecting to see someone there.

He shut his eyes for a moment, and a little girl with chocolate brown eyes and a shining smile appeared in his memories for a brief moment. _'She really doesn't remember…'_

He always thought that falling in love is supposed to be one of the hardest things you ever do in life...but it isn't. In fact it's simple, so simple that you may never notice you're in love until it's too late... this wasn't supposed to happen. He wasn't supposed to fall in love with her.

**(Please tell me what you think of this story!)**


	5. Third Hour Don't You Know My Face?

**Chapter 5: The Third Hour- Don't You Know My Face?**

Miroku the monk batted off a couple of pesky demons, who decided to make a quick meal out of him. Well, they chose the worst possible person for their next victim that was certain. At first, he hadn't wanted to resort to extreme measures, but the demons kept coming and coming, and eventually he decided to scare them off.

"Wind Tunnel!" he bellowed, removing the pray beads and cloth that covered the hole in his palm. A black void, made up of complete emptiness, was sucking up everything in its path into his hand. The demons squealed, trying to get away, but the wind was too strong, and they eventually were swallowed by the black hole. Then at the very last moment, he covered his palm and moved out of the way, watching with an amused gleam in his eye as the few remaining creatures toppled over into a pile.

Unfortunately, one stray demon had managed to remain conscious, and the minute the monk turned around to pick up his staff, it attacked, latching onto Miroku's back.

Kagome and Shippo chose this moment to peer around the hedge at what was happening. The girl blinked, noticing a young man wearing dark purple robes, and his short black hair held back in a ponytail at the base of his neck. He was trying to dislodge a demon from his back; one that seemed set on turning the man into his next meal.

Without thinking, Kagome picked up a large rock at her feet, took careful aim, and hurled it at the demons head. There was a loud, sickening crushing sound, as the rock bounced off its head, effectively hurting the creature enough for the man to dislodge it from its back. After staggering around for a moment, the demon plopped atop of the rest of his unconscious buddies. The man then looked around him, trying to figure out where the rock had come and spotted the two hiding in the bushes.

With a charming smile, Miroku half ran to the young woman who'd just rescued him. "Why, thank you, my dear lady," he said, grasping her hand in both his own. Kagome flushed a little, ignoring Shippo's groan from beside her. "I am honored to have been saved by such a beautiful woman as yourself. My name is Miroku, and I am but a simple monk. Anything you ask, you shall receive. But may I ask you one humble question?"

This was Shippo's cue to interrupt. "Shut up, Miroku."

"Ahh, Shippy. How nice it is to see you again."

"It's _Shippo_," he muttered, turning away; but not before sending a warning glance in Miroku's direction. Kagome, for her part, was incredibly confused.

"Uh, so, I take it that you two know each other?"

Grin back in place, Miroku turned back to Kagome, and grasped her hands again. The girl sweat dropped, tugging at her hands to remove them, but to no avail.

"May I know the name of the brave maiden who rescued me?" he asked with an expression of pure innocence on his face.

"Uh… Kagome…"

"Lady Kagome," here Miroku's face turned completely serious. Kagome could feel the back of her neck heat up. "Would you do me the honor of bearing my child?"

Kagome felt a hand caress her from behind at Miroku's request, but before she could respond (or punch him down so hard that he would have to reach up to tie his sandals) Miroku was conked on the head by a furious half-demon who suddenly appeared behind them.

"Yo, Miroku," he said in a cold voice

"Your majesty…" croaked the monk from the ground, where he nursed a large bump on his head. "…A pleasure as always…"

Kagome, however, was not as pleased to see Inuyasha. "You jerk!" she yelled, startling all three males. Inuyasha's ears flattened against his head. This probably wasn't going to be good. "You nearly got me and Shippo killed! We could have been eaten, or… or…"

"Well, obviously, you weren't," drawled the Demon King, tucking his arms in the sleeves of his fire-rat robe. His expression of pure not-caring only drove Kagome's temper on further. Starting to predict a very large explosion in the near future, Shippo and Miroku backed away.

You could almost see the flames coming from Kagome's eyes. Even the dense Inuyasha noticed that he was in danger of a terrible beating, and began to wish he hadn't said that last comment.

Just as she opened her mouth to call Inuyasha some words that would make any mother wash her mouth out with soap, Inuyasha jumped into action, covering her mouth with his hand. Kagome glared daggers at him, her yelling muffled by his hand. Eventually however, she calmed down, and he removed it.

Shippo looked up from where he was hiding. "Is it over?"

Ignoring him, Inuyasha thrust his closed hand in Kagome's direction, indicating that he had something to give her. Curiosity overriding all other emotions, Kagome accepted what he handed to her, feeling something like cool glass being dropped into her palm. When she opened her palm and looked down, Kagome was shocked to see none other than the jewel that he had offered her before she ended up in this place. The same jewel that Inuyasha had offered in exchange for her brother the first time she met him.

Confusion clearly written in her face, Kagome narrowed her eyes and looked at him. "But... I thought..."

"It's not a gift, you stupid girl."

Bristling at his arrogant attitude, Kagome exclaimed, "What if I don't _want _it, _your highness_? You haven't been very friendly to me since I got here. How do I know that this isn't just another trap?"

Inuyasha just snarled and raised his hand as if he was about to slap her. Kagome took a few steps back, expecting him to hit her. But it never came.

Shippo and Miroku had both stepped forward to stop Inuyasha, obviously thinking that he was going to hit her too, but suddenly froze. The air around them had grown cold, the wind stopped blowing… and it was like all the sound had disappeared.

Kagome looked around her in a panic. "Miroku, Shippo? What's going on?" she asked her friends; only to see that they had frozen in place. Staring at them was like watching a movie and then suddenly pushing the pause button; and then seeing all the characters on the screen frozen in place. She went over to them in panic and touched Miroku's shoulder. He felt as if he were a statue.

Furious, she turned her anger back onto Inuyasha. "WHAT DID YOU DO TO THEM?!" she screamed at him as loudly as she could.

Inuyasha had to flatten his ears over his head to try to block out her shriek. "THEY'RE FINE!" he yelled back. He put his hands back into his sleeves before starting to walk away. "I froze time for a moment."

"Why did you freeze time?!" Kagome shrieked at him.

"Because…" snapped Inuyasha, "I didn't want them to hear what I have to say."

"Hear what? I don't care what you have to say!" snapped Kagome as she turned back on him and towards her friends. She bent down to Shippo's level and tried to touch him, to see if there was anything that she could do to bring him back. But as she stretched out her hand, Inuyasha quickly tug on her outstretched wrist and pulled her up. She tried to break away from his grasp, pulling and tugging as hard as she could, but to no avail.

Just when she was about to slap him, Inuyasha spun her around towards him, smashing her soft chest against his hard one and stared into her eyes with a strange look on his face.

Startled, Kagome looked up into his face and could feel her face beginning to burn. As he held her in an embrace, their faces were only a few inches apart (close enough to kiss!). Her breathing came out in short and harsh breathes, and her heart was pounding so hard in her chest that it felt as if she couldn't breathe.

The way that he was looking at her… it was a look that she couldn't describe… she couldn't move if her life depending on it. His eyes trapped her… paralyzed her. Those eyes… those beautiful golden orbs… she knew that she had seen those somewhere before…?

"Don't you know my face?" he asked in a quiet voice that took her a moment to recognize as his. "Try to remember."

She never once heard him speak so sadly… or gently… or…

Inuyasha then let go of her, and she took a few steps back from him.

"I don't care what you do with it, as long as you keep it with you. Understand?" he said to her. But this time, he spoke in his harsh and rude voice that she knew anywhere.

Kagome was stunned and couldn't seem to be able to move from her spot… she could only nod dumbly. Smug expression back in place, Inuyasha once again disappeared. Leaving Kagome, to wait for her heart to return to its normal pace.

As soon as he left, the air had grown warm again, she could feel wind starting to blow gently, and all the sounds had returned.

"Listen here Inu…?" said Miroku's voice. He stopped in midsentence, looking around him. "Inuyasha?"

Shippo also looked around when he realized that the half-demon had disappeared. "Where did he go?" he asked confused.

What the hell just happened? What did he mean? Of course she knew his face. She had met him just a few hours ago… didn't she? Her heart was still pounding.

Kagome seemed to be the one who was frozen, this time. She was still paralyzed by Inuyasha's eyes… two beautiful eyes and she couldn't seem to move … wait beautiful? Did she just think that his eyes were beautiful? What's wrong with her? She only met the rude half-demon a few hours ago for crying out loud! Not only that… but he kidnapped her brother, almost had her killed, and if she fails to get Sota back in time then she'll be trapped here with him forever!

Kagome shook her head and put the jewel in her pocket.

"Don't know why he wants me to hold onto the jewel," she muttered, almost forgetting about the presence of her other two companions. Finally feeling their eyes on her, she spun around and hissed, "What?"

"Nothing! Nothing at all!" said Miroku looking scared.

With a sigh, Kagome rubbed her eyes, and turned in the direction she and Shippo where going. "Is this the right way?" she asked in a much kinder tone than the one she used a second ago.

"Ah, Kagome," the monk interrupted, scratching the back of his neck, a nervous expression on his face.

"Yes, Miroku? And no, I won't bear your children."

He chuckled. "Actually, I was going to ask if I could join you in your quest to get to the Demon King's castle? I do know my way around here, after all these years of wandering."

Kagome smiled, and gestured for him to join Shippo and herself. All three of them began to walk then, making their way to the castle, and what lay beyond.

After awhile of walking, Kagome sucked up the courage to ask Miroku something that she had been wondering about since she first laid eyes on him.

"So Miroku… how did you get that whole in your hand?"

Miroku shifted uncomfortable for a second before answering, "Well you see, Kagome, that's a very long story. It goes like this…When Inuyasha's father was still alive, an evil demon by the name of Naraku reined havoc upon the Spirit World. Murder and trickery was second nature to him. And even the mightiest of demons cowered at his feet.

Many priests, and warriors set out to slay him, but Naraku was able to absorb the powers of other demons and was able to grow stronger each time. Until finally, there was only one person who was powerful enough to stand a chance of defeating Naraku; and that was Inuyasha's father. He along with my grandfather, and a strong Demon Slayer went to fight him.

There was an epic battle that cost the late Demon King his life. After battling with Naraku for seven days and seven nights, Naraku mysteriously disappeared. No one knew anything about where he was, or what happened to him. But he wasn't dead, he made sure of that.

For before he left, Naraku placed a curse on my grandfather and my family; as well as a curse on the Demon Slayer's family. Naraku created a black void that would suck up everything in its path, including my grandfather. He and my father were both swallowed by the terrible nothing in their own hands. One day, I myself, will also be swallowed by this cursed hand unless I managed to kill Naraku."

"So unless Naraku is defeated, then it's going to kill you?" said Kagome worriedly.

"Yes," answered Miroku. "And I'm prepared to accept that, if it's truly to be my fate… but until then… I must continue on my quest to find and eliminate Naraku." The three of them were left in an uncomfortable silence after that.

"So you and Inuyasha are friends because your grandfather and his father were allies?" Kagome asked, breaking the silence. She tilted her head sideways, and eyed Miroku with a newfound respect. That was, until, she felt an unwelcome hand land on her behind.

"Yes, Lady Kagome I guess you can call us friends."

Miroku grinned as he rubbed the red handprint that suddenly appeared on his cheek. Shippo snickered, and Kagome simply fumed.

"Pervert…" she muttered stalking ahead, her hands clenched into fists by her side.

"Hey, Kagome! Wait!"

The girl turned at the sound of Shippo's voice, her line of vision following his pointed hand to another pair of doors. However, this time, these doors didn't have guards, only a pair of doorknockers. One knocker had its large ring through its ear, and the other held the ring in its mouth.

The one with the ring in its mouth looked like a cross between a shark and a seal, with a lack of hair. Underneath the doorknocker there was an engraved name: Manten.

The second doorknocker had the one with the ring in its ears. Underneath, the name Hiten was engraved. While Manten looks like a monster, Hiten appeared to be a handsome human.

"Well," said Miroku, studying the knockers carefully. "Which of these two characters should we choose?"

"It's very rude to stare!" snapped a voice.

Kagome blinked, startled. It was the knocker with the ring through both its ears that had spoken. "Oh," she said, slightly flustered. "Sorry, we were just wondering which door to choose."

"Sno gd tlking tm, hs dfsa ded," said another voice.

The attention of the girl, fox demon, and monk shifted to the other doorknocker, obviously having difficulty talking with a ring in his mouth.

"Don't talk with your mouth full!" chastised the first knocker that was called Hiten.

"I'm nt tlkng wth my mth fll!"

"I can't understand you… hold on!" Kagome said, pulling out the ring from his mouth with a yank. The knocker groaned in relief, opening and closing his mouth to stretch the steel muscles.

"Oh my," he said. "It feels so good to get that thing out."

"So what were you saying?" asked Miroku politely.

"I said it's no good talking to him," the knocker said, gesturing with his chin to the other knocker, which slurred his last word. "He's deaf as the dead."

The other knocker snorted. "Mumbler! I can't understand a word you say when you're mumbling. You sure aren't the most wonderful conversational companion."

"Well, you can talk! But all you do is moan!"

"No good. Still can't hear you."

"Where do these doors lead?" Kagome cut in, getting a little annoyed. She was expecting it to be a little bit like the last doors, and that she had to guess an annoying riddle.

"Search me. We're just the knockers. We wouldn't know," said Manten

"Oh..." Kagome was, quite obviously, a little disappointed. This made it harder. Noticing her drop in spirit, Miroku took over the questioning.

"Well, how do you get through?"

"Knock and we shall open!" cried Hiten dramatically.

Shippo was currently staring at the other knocker, Manten. Shippo stuck his face up close to it, and starting poking at it until finally, the knocker had enough. "Do you mind?"

Evidently, Shippo didn't, as he continued to poke him.

"Shippo?" said Kagome as she picked up the ring and tried to give it back to the knocker. "Please stop."

"No! I don't want that thing back in my mouth!" said Manten, eyeing Kagome and the ring she held in her hand warily.

"Come on, I wanta knock!" she said annoyed.

"Mm-mm," was all that the knocker was able to say without opening its mouth. The girl sighed in frustration.

Then she got an idea. She reached out a hand, plugged his nose and held it, watching as the knocker squirmed uncomfortably, and waited.

Finally, it gave, opening its mouth to take a deep breath, and receiving a mouth full of ring from a triumphant Kagome.

"Sorry about that," Miroku apologized for Kagome, as she scooped up Shippo and knocked on the door.

It swung open, revealing a long stone hallway like before in the Oubliette. Shippo hopped off her shoulder, sniffing at the air a little suspiciously. Unconcerned, Kagome and Miroku walked ahead, down the slightly tilted pathway, and opened a door at the end of the hall. Only to be assaulted by an awful feeling. For a moment, Kagome thought that she was going to be overrun with fear.

"Oh man... what is this?"

Shippo reappeared beside them, paw over nose, small face grim. "The Forest of Sorrow..." he said quietly. "The worst place in all the Spirit World… it's where your worst fears come to life."


	6. Fourth Hour Protector in a Dreamer's Eye

**Chapter 6: The Fourth Hour- A Protector in a Dreamer's Eye**

"I've never felt anything like it!" cried Kagome, putting her hands above her chest where her heart was. Miroku looked queasy. "It's like... like..."

"Doesn't matter what its like," Shippo interrupted. "It's the Forest of Sorrow."

All three of them stood on a thin ledge before a steep drop. The canyon below was full of dead rotting trees, that lead to a stretch of barren wasteland riddled with weeds, and (Kagome cringed) skeletons. There was no way to describe it. Like Shippo said, it didn't matter what it was like. It simply was the Forest of Sorrow.

She stepped through the doorway and waited for the boys to join her. Kagome shivered. The sky was the color of cast iron, and the forest plants looked shriveled, as though the sun had never shone on them since their first day on earth. She felt terribly dispirited after just a minute in this place, and she looked at Miroku and Shippo to help her. Their expressions were more depressing than her own.

"Oh, come on, guys," she said, trying to sound cheerful. She shrugged, with a heavy heart, turned around again, and wondered which way to go. A path ran in front of her into the forest, but how could anyone take it for granted that a path was the way you wanted to go? "I don't even know which way the castle is," she said. Again she looked at Miroku and Shippo, hoping that they would be able to guide her through it.

"I hardly ever come this way if I can help it," said Miroku taking a few steps forward. "I haven't been through the Forest of Sorrow for quite awhile."

As Kagome peered up into the branches of a nearby tree, she was so focused on it that she didn't notice that the earth opened up underneath Miroku and Shippo and swallowed them into a great hole. They didn't have any time to say a word before the earth closed up again above their heads.

"Maybe I could climb up there," Kagome was saying. "Then we could see the way to the castle."

She took hold of the lowest branch and put her weight on it. It snapped off in her hand, with a dry crack like china, and before she could register what to do, the whole tree collapsed. Lying before her she saw a pile, not of dead wood, but of bones. The branch that she was holding had also turned into a bone. With a shudder and a startled scream she threw it as far away from her as she could. There was a dry, rustling noise going on all around, and to her dismay she saw the trees that were around her were collapsing, like a series of dinosaur skeletons.

One bone tree after the other clattered to the ground, each bringing down the next, like dominoes, until the most of the landscape had been reduced to heaps of bones, all jumbled together. And Kagome knew it was all her fault, the destruction of this delicate balance just by snapping off the branch. It was too much to bear. She burst out weeping and sank to the ground. If she had never made that dumb wish then she wouldn't be here right now.

She cried and cried, with her hands over her face. Eventually she looked to face Miroku and Shippo… "Miroku?" she cried wondering why they haven't said anything for awhile, "Shippo?" She looked all around her but realized that they had disappeared.

"Miroku? Shippo?" She stood up and began to run around in circles, looking in a panic for any sign of her friends. Above, the sky had grown even darker and more miserable.

"Miroku? Shippo?" she screamed, feeling utterly alone in this forest of the dead. "Where are you? What's going on?"

She ran, she had to get away, anywhere. If she stayed where she was then she would be bones herself. She ran through the heaps of bones and into another part of the forest that looked just as grim. Huge gnarled roots stretched across the path and the sky grew darker with each passing minute. The trees had trunks like tight fists and looked as if they were all old men, while fallen branches and dead leaves covered the earth. Here and there a brief vista between the trees offered a way on, but along each one that she took cobwebs clothed her face causing her to lose sight until she pulled the webs off. From clumps of ferns, clouds of dark moths flitted up at her. "Why is this happening?" she whimpered as she ran.

The forest got darker as she ran deeper into it. She stumbled into a glade above which the trees were so close that she could not see her feet in the darkness. Still she ran, but her foot suddenly caught on a root and she fell… and fell… and fell…

… she fell into darkness…

_(Back at the castle)_

Inuyasha was watching Kagome from one of the many bedroom chambers. In a silvery-white mirror he was able to see Kagome's scared face looking around for her friends.

He then walked over to the large bed where her little brother slept. The boy had been sleeping since Inuyasha snatched him from his bedroom so the child had no idea of what was going on around him. Inuyasha sat on the bed next to the boy before holding up the mirror in front of her brother's face.

"Look, Kagome," he murmured although he knew that she couldn't hear him. "Is this what you're trying to find?" Inuyasha chuckled to himself before getting up. "So much trouble for such a little thing," Inuyasha said, shaking his head as he looked at Sota's sleeping face. "But soon she'll realize why I'm doing this. Soon she'll remember what happened. Just as soon as the jewel's magic takes effect. She'll remember everything."

He watched as she kept running through the forest, trying to find her friends and her way out; suddenly her foot caught hold of a root, and she trip. She fell to the ground and didn't get up. Inuyasha knew that she must be trapped in a nightmare…

Maybe he would help her out… just a little bit…

_(Kagome's Dream)_

Little Kagome was dozing off on soft grass in front of her house when she heard her parent's car drive up. Excited, she leapt up and ran to the front of the house to greet her parents plus the newest addition to their family. Today was the day that they were able to bring home her new baby brother!

When she got to the front yard, the first thing she saw was her grandfather, who was so happy to see his first grandson and was shaking her father's hand. "Congratulations my boy!" he said happily.

"Thank you father," her father said smiling. "Now, where is my little girl?"

"Over here daddy!" yelled out Kagome and she ran into her father's waiting arms. He lifted her up above his head and began to spin her around as Kagome laughed. He then let her drop to his chest and held her tightly.

"I missed you daddy," said Kagome in a muffled voice.

He kissed the side of her head and told her that he missed her too; he then looked back at the car.

Her mother stepped out of the car and gave her daughter a blinding smile as she held a tiny bundle in her arms. Her father carried Kagome over so that she could get a better look. Wrapped in the blanket was a baby boy that looked like he was fast asleep. That is until he opened up his dark brown eyes to stare up at her. He gave her a tiny smile.

Kagome let out an excited squeal, "You see that?" she asked her parents in a thrilled voice. "He smiled at me!"

Her father laughed at her. "That's because he knows that you're his big sister. He looks up to you."

"Can I hold him? Can I? Can I daddy? Mommy can I hold him? Pleeeeeeeaaaaaasssssssseeeeeee?" she begged with all her heart. Everyone else laughed, "Alright," said her mother. "But you have to be very careful."

"Oh I will!" said Kagome as she jumped down from her father's arms and held out her own. Her mother passed her baby brother to her father, who then bend down to his little girl and held him out. Kagome very carefully took her brother into her arms and stared in wonder at his tiny face. "He's so cute!" she said looking up at her parents and grandfather who were smiling at her. "What's his name?" she asked them.

"His name is Sota," said her father. "And from now on, it's gonna be your job to protect and look after him when me, mommy, or grandpa aren't around ok? Do you promise?"

Kagome nodded. "I promise daddy!" she cried out.

But as soon as she said that she felt the air around her grow very cold. She turned to look behind her at the house only to see it had disappeared… in its place was a large and dead looking forest full of dead rotting trees, that was part of stretch of barren wasteland riddled with weeds, and skeletons.

"Mommy? Daddy? Grandpa?" she said trying to keep her voice from shaking, as she held her brother close to her chest and looked back at her parents. "What's happening?" she was scared.

But her parents and grandfather had also disappeared; leaving her and her brother alone in this scary place. She took a few steps forward, "MOMMY? DADDY? GRANDPA? ANYBODY?" Kagome was crying, and the sounds of her sobs caused Sota to start crying… Kagome held him close to her as she started to run… to where she had no idea… as long as she could get out of this dead zone and find the rest of her family.

Several things happened at once… first off she could hear the sound of a dark, terrible laugh behind her… when she looked, what she saw almost made her faint… it was a giant ugly spider crawling towards her… a spider so big that it could easily have crushed a few houses with every step that it took.

Its body was black and covered with thick hair that looked like tangled wire. It had its eight legs all running so fast that she couldn't tell where one ended and the others began. Its eyes were blood-red and were staring at her hungrily, the pincers were snapping with a sickening crushing sound, and worse of all… it seemed to be smiling at her… and it wasn't a good smile either.

She only ran faster, she had to get her and Sota away from this monster spider. She promised daddy that she would take care of him when no one else was around.

But as she ran, the spider was running faster. Her lungs were beginning to hurt as she forced her body to continue on… that is until she felt something grab hold of her leg, which caused her to trip. She landed with a loud THUMP on the hard ground; she and Sota were crying hard. She looked back at the spider that was handing just above her… as she held Sota in her arms she bent her head over him, shut her eyes, and screamed like she never screamed before…

"HHHHHHEEEEEEELLLLLLPPPPPPP!"

Just as the spider was about to finisher her off, a loud BLAST came from out of nowhere and that alone was enough to get Kagome to stop screaming. As she opened her eyes she could see large flashes of light sweep through the air in the shape of claw marks and hit the giant spider. The spider screeched in agony as it backed away with deep scars covering its hairy head.

Kagome looked in the direction where the light had come from, trying to see her savior. Standing on a hill was the largest dog that she had ever seen… it looked big enough for her to ride him. It had white fur that looked like snow and large silver fangs sticking out of his mouth. He had a necklace that looked like it was made of beads and fangs around his neck instead of a collar. He wore a large crown up top of his head, and he had to large dog ears sticking out from underneath. But what caught her attention more than the crown where his eyes… his eyes were the color of melted gold…

Where had she seen those eyes somewhere before?

The dog let out a loud bark and Kagome somehow knew that the dog was telling her to run. She didn't need to be told twice; she got up and ran towards the dog as fast as she could go.

The spider on the other hand seemed to have recovered and was beginning the chase again.

The dog darted in front of Kagome and leapt up to start fighting with the spider. Kagome tried to keep running but she didn't want to leave the dog here alone. Not when it was fighting to protect her…

She was standing there with a baby in her arms, a dog risking its life for her, and a spider that seemed bent of killing her. What was she supposed to do at a time like this? She was trying to figure out what to do… that is when a large hairy leg came flying at her from nowhere and smashed her against a large boulder. Pain… oh god it hurt… she couldn't move… she was sure that she had a few broken ribs. Thankfully, she somehow knew that her brother didn't have a scratch on him…

The dog barked in rage as he was suddenly engulfed in a blinding light. Kagome let out a terrified scream, thinking that the dog was done for… but when the light had faded, a man was standing where the dog had been… she couldn't see that well for her eyes were blinded by pain. But from what she could tell was that he was dressed all in red and he had back to her.

He raised up a large sword that looked like a fang and brought it down with such force that Kagome could feel the earth move beneath her. As soon as the sword came down, the flashes of light had appeared again… only this time, they took the forms of large whirlpools and hit the spider with such force that it was beginning to fall apart…

The spider seemed to scream in pain and before she could blink the spider was engulfed with a thick black smoke and disappeared.

As soon as he was sure that the spider was gone, the dog-man came over to her, she couldn't see his face, for the pain was causing her eyes to darken… "Kagome?" said the dog-man gently.

Kagome looked up at his form and said in a weak voice, "I know you… but from where?"

He smiled as he bent down and easily picked her up in his arms. He held her against his chest, and Kagome felt safe there. Even with her arms wrapped around her crying brother, and the pain she was in, she couldn't help but feel safe around this dog-man.

The dog-man was then carrying her away from the battle field. He held her closer to his chest and Kagome felt her heart pound. The dog-man began to run at an inhuman face. Everything was flying past her so fast that she felt that she had become a part of the wind.

After a few minutes of nonstop running, Kagome asked her savior, "Where are you taking me?"

A low grumble was her reply, "Here."

Kagome blinked when she realized that they had slowed down to a walk and that they were heading towards a very large tree. She still couldn't see much, but she could tell that this tree had a deep scar on the trunk. Her savior stopped underneath the tree and gently lay her down so that her back was leaned up against the base.

As soon as he put her down, he raised her chin so that he could look at her face, "You need to wake up now Kagome. This is a dream."

A dream? This wasn't real?

"You are in the Forest of Sorrow," the dog-man said. "It creates dreams of fear. You're friends are trying to wake you up now. Listen."

"Kagome?" yelled out a familiar voice that seemed to come from far away. "Kagome! Wake up!"

_'Wake up?'_ She was really asleep? "But…" she said quickly. She tried again to clear her eyesight to get a good look at his face. "How do you know my name? Why are you so familiar to me? Have we met before?"

It was no good. Her eyes have completely darkened now and she could feel herself falling into that darkness. "I've known you since you were very small," she heard the dog-man say gently but in a gruff voice. "Don't worry."

She could feel him lower his face to the top of her head and breathed in her scent. Kagome felt her eyes close, but not before hearing, "We will meet up again very soon."

Kagome opened her eyes and was staring into the worried faces of Miroku and Shippo. When they saw her eyes open, they sighed with relief.

"Kagome?" asked Miroku. "Are you ok? You were screaming in your sleep."

Kagome looked up at him in confusion before quickly sitting up. "It was a dream," she said quietly.

"Yeah," said Shippo who looked scared. "Me and Miroku fell through the ground into a underground tunnel and it took us forever to find our way out."

"By the time we did get out and get back to where we were, you disappeared," said Miroku.

"We looked and looked everywhere for you. And then we heard you screaming," cut in Shippo.

"We've been trying to wake you up," finished Miroku. He offered her his hand and helped her to her feet. "I'm sorry," he said when she was upright. "I forgot to tell you about the power of this forest. It causes nightmares in its victims and feeds off their fear. If I'd remember sooner, I could've warned you. I'm so ashamed." He bent his head down low in shame.

"Oh Miroku," said Kagome as she put her hand on his shoulder. "It's alright I…" she stopped talking… she could feel his hand again… "You sure don't seemed to be ashamed to me," she hissed at him before slapping him hard across the face. "Get your head out of the gutter for once."

"Idiot," whispered Shippo shaking his head. "He'll never learn." He took a few steps ahead and called back, "Come on, the way out is this way."

All too happy, Kagome followed him with Miroku rubbing a handprint on his face.

_(After walking in silence for a short time)_

She tried to figure out where she should have made a different choice. Suppose she hadn't made that wish back home? If she didn't wouldn't she be back home, with Sota safe in his bed? Perhaps. How would she know? What evidence had she been given that any of her choices were the right ones? If there were right ones; if it wasn't all a cruel hoax by which Inuyasha tormented her with the illusion that Sota could be rescued.

She blinked back rising tears. She would not start that again. If she hadn't been a crybaby, perhaps she would've gotten Sota back by now.

She concentrated on what could be evidence, however flimsy, that she had gotten some things right. Her friendship with Miroku and Shippo that couldn't be meaningless, could it? The happy, goofy smile Miroku given her when she had rescued him… was that a gratuitous event in a story with no ending? Shippo helped her to find out that she was capable of doing more than she had known. To have gotten this far at all, in spite of the hideous traps Inuyasha had set for her… surely that was some kind of evidence in her favor?

Perhaps. But it would mean nothing at all unless she couldn't get to Sota in time, and save him from being turned into a demon. She thought about her dream… she remembered now… that was the day that Sota came home from the hospital… at least up to the part that she promised her father that she would protect Sota. She felt sick… she broke her promise because she did forget… for years she had been angry with her brother for getting all the attention and making her take care of him all the time.

She was tired of being the big sister… but that didn't mean that she didn't still love him… she was just angry when she wished for demons to take him away from her… if she had know what would happen she never would have made that wish. _'That's it,' _she thought to herself. '_If I ever get the two of us out of here, I promise to protect and take care of Sota from now on.'_

But who was the man in her dream? Who was the one that saved her from the monster spider? She felt as if she knew him from somewhere…

"This way," said Shippo's voice, interrupting her thoughts. She looked up, not noticing that she was starting to head off the trail. She shook her head back to reality and headed back onto the path to where her friends where.

The three of them walked on through the wilderness, and on, until they began to look exhausted and a little downcast. As for Kagome, her body was wilting and her spirit was exasperated.

Miroku broke the silence. "There's a bridge over there. Once we pass that, we'll be out of the Forest of Sorrow." The trio edged their way along the ledge, careful not to slip. When they neared the bridge, the footing underneath Kagome's feet gave way, nearly sending herself, Shippo, and Miroku tumbling down, and into a river filled with dark water.

"What is in that river?" asked Kagome in a shaky voice as she regained her balance.

"Oh, I nearly forgot! That is the bridge that crosses over the River of Despair," said Miroku darkly. "It's a river made of a poisonous miasma, and if you fall into that stuff then it'll melt to bones in less than a minute."

Kagome gulped. "HOW COULD YOU FORGET SOMETHING LIKE THAT?" she snapped at him. "Ok, stay out of the river. Thanks for the warning Miroku."

After gaining their composure back, the three faced the bridge in front of them, It was teetering and in bad shape; the wood was rotten, the stone was crumbling, and it looked as if it was about to collapse any second. Kagome was immediately in doubt as to whether she really wanted to cross a bridge that looked like it was about to fall apart, and into a river that could melt you in under a minute. But before she could decide anything else, a young woman jumped in front of them, blocking their path. She wore a black armored outfit and a mask on covering her mouth and nose, and held a humongous boomerang over her head, preparing to strike.

"You may not cross this bridge without my permission!"


	7. Fifth Hour The Dream Bubbles

**Chapter 7: The Fifth Hour- The Dream Bubbles**

Inuyasha was sulking again. He sat on his throne, glaring into the mirror for the hundredth time. When Kagome had fallen victim to the Forest of Sorrow's illusions, he had used his powers to into her nightmare and helped her escape.

_'Damn it! Why did I bother helping her?' _he thought to himself bitterly.

_'Maybe it's because you want her to make it to the castle…_' said an annoying voice from inside him that sounded more like Sesshomaru than himself.

_'Yes,'_ Inuyasha thought. He wanted for her to reach the castle… he wanted to see her face to face again… to breathe in her wonderful scent again. Her scent wasn't just pleasant to him, it was intoxicating. He wanted her to reach him… even if she wasn't coming for him…

He was jealous of the brat. He admitted it. Inuyasha was jealous that Kagome was coming here for her brother and not for him…

He was so busy brooding that he didn't notice the door to his chamber open, or that familiar smell invade his senses, until a fist bopped him in the back of the head.

"Hey ya mangy mutt, what's up?"

Snarling, Inuyasha jumped up, temporarily forgetting the magic mirror he held in his hand in favor of baring his fangs to the demon that he hated. The wolf demon Koga.

He was about Inuyasha's height, although he seemed a couple years older. His long black hair was tied up into a ponytail, and a furry headband kept extra wisps away from his pointy ears. Bright blue eyes flickered in amusement, and a tail poked out from behind the rather short fur that he wore.

"What the hell do you want, scrawny wolf?" snapped Inuyasha.

Inuyasha and Koga were never really friends. In fact, they'd almost always have tried to kill each other whenever they were left alone. The rivalry was furthered when Sesshomaru offered Koga a position in his court as a warrior, and Koga accepted. Since then, the only times the two ever saw each other was when Sesshomaru wanted to make Inuyasha even angrier at him than necessary.

Koga scratched his chin thoughtfully, suddenly taking an keen interest in the mirror Inuyasha was still holding. "Now what's this?"

He snatched it away from the still seething Demon King, and before Inuyasha could protest or grab it back, Koga was watching the images in fascination. Or rather, one of the images. A young girl, with raven black hair and sparkling chocolate brown eyes with a heart shaped face.

"Well, what do we have here?" he asked staring at the images of the woman. "Whoever she is… she's cute…" Inuyasha had snatched the mirror back, and shoved it safely inside his fire-rat clothing.

"What's it to you?" he growled dangerously, sitting back down onto his throne. "Right now she's attempting to find her way here in just around 8 hours and take her brother back. She's done a pretty good job so far, but I've got a couple more surprises for her." He smirked.

Koga snorted, and then gazed out the tall window to his left, a thoughtful expression on his face. After a few minutes of uncomfortable silence (in which Inuyasha fidgeted and Koga continued to stare out the window), the Demon King finally blurted out, "Well? Aren't you going to tell me why my brother sent you here for? Or does he just enjoy tormenting me so?"

Koga, looking like he'd been snapped out of a trance, sat bolt upright. "Oh right, I have a message for you mutt." Inuyasha rolled his eyes, but the wolf-demon's face became deadly serious. "It's about Naraku."

Looking like he'd tasted something particularly disgusting, Inuyasha stood up. "What about Naraku?" he spat.

"Lately, there have been sightings… of a demon clad in the pelt of a white baboon."

Inuyasha felt like someone dumped icy cold water all over him. "A white baboon?"

"Yes," said Koga, his face and voice still dead serious. "I hate to say it, but it sounds like Naraku is finally back… and he wants to finish what he started."

Kagome groaned, not having any ideas on what to expect with this woman. Shippo, however, squealed in joy and Miroku gave a huge grin as if he was seeing the light for the first time in years.

The young woman, who's long brown hair was pulled back high onto her head, glared at all three, until her friend (a small, cream colored kitten with black stripes on two tails and huge red eyes) jumped onto her shoulder and mewled into her ear.

The girl then put down the large weapon as she seemed to recognize them, or recognize Shippo and Miroku at least.

"Shippo!" she cried, opening her arms. Shippo raced towards her and jumped into them to give her a big hug. He then scampered onto her the shoulder that was still unoccupied.

Waving a tiny hand in Kagome's direction, Shippo said, "This is Kagome. I'm accompanying her to the Castle. And here's Miroku, same as ever."

Miroku put on his most charming smile as he walked over, grasping her hand in his own. "Sango, my dear you look even lovelier than the last time we met… I kept seeing your face every day that we've been apart. I must say that I couldn't seem to get you out of my mind."

Kagome, Shippo, and even the little cat flinched as a resounding slap echoed through the Forest of Sorrow. "Thank you for your concern, lecher."

After carefully placing a few feet between her and the monk, the girl named Sango turned to Kagome, and held out her hand. "I'm Sango, the guardian of this bridge. And this is my firecat, Kirara."

Kagome grinned, accepting Sango's outstretched hand, she liked this Sango instantly. "Do you think we could get across? I really need to find my brother…"

Sango seemed to be smiling behind her mask (it was really hard to tell) as she nodded. "Of course you can. In fact, I'll even help you get there."

This brightened up Kagome's day. "Will you really?" she asked thrilled.

Sango nodded. "To tell you the truth, I'm tired of guarding this bridge and I'm sick of this forest. You guys are the perfect excuse for leaving. All we have to do is make it over the river and we'll be out of the Forest of Sorrow."

Kagome looked behind her at the decaying bridge and asked, "Is it safe to cross this bridge?"

Sango laughed which had Kagome confused. "We won't take the bridge. We'll ride on Kirara." As soon as she said Kirara's name, the kitten jumped from Sango's shoulder to the grown before being engulfed by flames. Kagome shrieked and leapt back, "What the…?"

Sango put her hands on Kagome's shoulders, "Calm down… watch…"

The fire disappeared and instead of a tiny kitten with two tails… there was a massive saber-toothed cat as big as a car. This cat had the same cream color with black stripes around the lower legs and tail, and solid black paws and tail tips. It also had the same thin black diamond mark on the forehead, and large red eyes that the little Kirara had.

"Ki…Kirara?" croaked out Kagome.

The large cat looked at her with its red eyes and she knew that this really was the same little kitten that she a met only a few moments ago…

The cat came over and put her giant head underneath Kagome's hand, wanting her to pet her. Kagome calmed down and smiled as she petted Kirara's head.

"Let me explain," said Sango. "Kirara is a nekomata demon with two tails. She has two forms… a little kitten, and this giant cat. When she's in this form she helps fight in battle and even flies through the air. Most of the time though, she's just a lovable little cat. She very good-natured and she's very protective of her friends."

Sango then turned to Miroku and Shippo and told them others to get on.

After the four of them had landed safely on the other side of the river, the Forest of Sorrow had disappeared and they were all in a deep and much more peaceful looking forest. It was a forest of giant bamboo trees that seemed to stretch for miles in all directions. It was silent except for the occasional sounds of birds singing.

When Kirara had shrunk down to a kitten form again and Sango had removed her mask, Kagome could hear her stomach beginning to beg for food. Ignoring it for the time being, she turned to her new best friend and struck up conversation. It turned out that Sango was a pretty talkative person once rid of the mask she wore.

"So you're a demon slayer then?" Kagome asked as they all walked down a dirt road.

"I _was_…" she said, a sad look crossing her face. "I was born into a village of demon slayers that live here in the Spirit World. Years ago, an evil demon named Naraku spread death across the Spirit World and when my grandfather fought alongside of the former Demon King was able to defeat him. But before Naraku fled, he cursed my family as well as Miroku's."

"Wait," said Kagome in a stunned voice. "You mean that your family is the one that Miroku mentioned when he told me about his wind tunnel?" she looked back at Miroku who answered, "Yes Kagome. Sango was the person whom I was referring to."

"It better have been in a non-lecherous way," muttered Sango as she shook her head. "Anyway, my family's curse is for every first-born child is to suffer terrible misfortune." She sighed. "I am my father's first born. And my whole life I've had to struggle just to survive. I've seen my father and brother both killed right before my eyes. My entire village had been wiped out by demons… and I am now the soul survivor of my people. I've sworn to avenge my village and family as I hunt down Naraku. I have to fight every single day just to live."

Kagome said nothing. She couldn't imagine what kind of pain Sango was feeling right now; she felt so bad for Sango and she wanted to do something to help her. Sango on the other hand, didn't seem like she wanted to talk anymore and Kagome let the subject drop.

The rumble in her stomach grew louder, and Kagome found herself rummaging through her pockets, trying to find something _anything _to quench her hunger. Suddenly, her fingers had touched something small, hard, and round in her jeans pocket.

Wondering what it was, she pulled out the jewel that Inuyasha had given her. She fingered the jewel in her pocket for a moment before absentmindedly pulling it out. It looked exactly the same as it did when she first saw it. About the size of a large marble, bright pink, and it seemed to shine with a pure light. As she stared into it, she was reminded of the words that Inuyasha had said to her before disappearing again… _'Don't you know my face?'_

What did he mean by that?

She was so lost in thought that she didn't notice that she had stopped walking and was now far behind all the others. As Kagome stared into the small jewel… she had become completely enchanted by its pure light…

The more she stared into it… the more the world around began to spin and fade away…

All of a sudden, everything around her was dancing. Voices were mixing with each other, and she could no longer tell which was which. She couldn't tell where she was, where she was going, what was happening around her, what she was doing, or even who she was anymore.

She heard voices calling out to her as she collapsed onto the ground. She could just make out Sango's worried face blending with Miroku's, who had blended with Shippo's. Then everything went dark.

_(Back at the castle)_

Inuyasha sat on the window sill of his chambers, and was watching bubbles blow into the wind. But these were no ordinary bubbles. These were what were called 'Dream Bubbles' and they have the ability to put people into their dreams.

There were a few flying out onto the wind, and each one contained a different image. But at the moment, Inuyasha's golden eyes were focused on one that held a young woman, lying unconscious on the ground, her black hair fanning out behind her and a pink jewel in her hand.

_'Looks like the jewel's magic had finally taken effect,'_ he thought with a smile. It was finally time to put his plan into action. All that he would have to do now is wait for a bubble to pop. Once it did, then he and Kagome will be together again.

_(Back with Kagome)_

She was floating. It was like the laws of gravity didn't matter anymore. Like when you're swimming, and then you stop to let yourself just float in suspension. You relish the way you don't quite touch the bottom, and you are beneath the surface. You feel weightless and your hair is swirling around you.

It felt wonderful.

Kagome raised one of her arms, only to see that the dress that she had been wearing had disappeared as well as her clothes. Instead she was bare up to the shoulder, which was where a long white ballroom gown began. The gown that she was in fitted her body perfectly' it was slim at the top but widened at the bottom. The bottom of the dress was long and full, and the bodice sparkled with simple yet graceful trimming. The entire gown sparkled when she moved slightly, when it caught the light, it seem to reflect it in a multitude of pastel colors. It was made of some kind of soft silk and she knew that if she twirled around the dress would move so lightly, that it would feel as if she were flying.

She blinked so slowly, that she was able to feel her long lashes connect with her cheek before her eyelids opened again. She recognized the dress she wore. It was the same one the doll in her music box back in her room; the one that looked like a gown out of a fantasy scene.

She noticed that she was wearing a jewel on a sliver chain around her neck and a beautiful headpiece that was decorated with tiny silver leaves and flowers rested in her hair. Her hair felt clean and long as it cascaded over her shoulders in midnight waves.

Vaguely, Kagome wondered where she was and what she was doing. But for some reason, she couldn't seem to bring herself out of this dream-like state. In this state she had no worries; she didn't worry about the fact that her friends must be worried. She didn't worry about her family back home. She didn't even worry about needing to rescue Sota.

No… it wasn't that she didn't worry… she had forgotten… she forgot everything except what was happening right now…

All she could remember was an eagerness that something was going to happen. As her vision started to blur, images of the Demon King came to her out of nowhere and floated before her.

At that moment, Kagome realized that this was Inuyasha doing… but as soon as she figured out that… as soon as Kagome realized what was happening… she heard something…

It was the sound of a bubble popping.


	8. Sixth Hour Ballroom Romance

**Chapter 8: The Sixth Hour- Ballroom Romance**

Kagome could hear music, a tender, haunting music, solemn, like a music box. She was spellbound. And all of a sudden, she could see dancers moving with graceful elegance.

It seemed that, she was trapped in some strange half-conscious state and she couldn't seem to question what was going on, and why this was happening. She couldn't seem to wake up. It was too late now.

Kagome was standing in a ballroom, walled with mirrors and lit with chandeliers that hung off an impossibly high ceiling. The silk covering of the walls had faded and, in places, worn threadbare; while beneath her feet, was an enormous and well-polished, elaborate dance floor. Bubbles decorated the room; in fact the whole room looked as if it was glistening skin of one great bubble.

The men sported silken shirts open to the waist and tight velvet breeches. Some of them wore wide-brimmed, plumed hats; others had capes or carried staffs. The women's gowns left their shoulders bare and were covered head to foot in jewelry. They had their hair coiffed high, and many wore long gloves; while many wore masks that looked like elegant satire of demon faces that had an almost sinister look. Kagome shivered.

The dancers moved in a ring around the ballroom, with a kind of tired radiance, as though the party had been going on all night. Men who were not dancing lounged lazily against columns, or flirted from within a corner of the ballroom, while being surrounded by women. Maids and footmen were also running around and serving them trays of fruit and refilled their goblets. And always the dancers were watching through the eyeholes in their cruel half-masks, from which snouts came from below and horns came from above. Moving together or elegantly resting, they watched Kagome, or watched each other watching, and beneath the masks the mouths smiled at each other like daggers.

Kagome watched the dancers dance, and the dancers watched her, from behind their masks. As she walked through the dancing and thriving dancers, she noticed two women peering at her through their ugly masks and snickering. Kagome flushed, feeling horribly plain and self-conscious next to them.

Quickly turning away, she caught the reflection of someone in one of the mirrors. A very familiar someone, who was standing much farther away in the room, was staring at her intently. She whorled around expecting to see him, only to see he had vanished. Her pulse quickened slightly, and she walked quickly, trying to find him.

She was tense now, self-conscious, and among people she didn't know but who acted as if they knew something that she didn't. She moved hurriedly around the ballroom looking for him. She did not know why she wanted to find him, or what she would say to him. She just knew that this feeling inside her was telling her that it was important that she should find him.

As she looked, Kagome's body swayed in time with the music; it was like she had become the music and the dance. Enchanted and enchanting, she danced slowly across the ballroom floor as she searched for Inuyasha.

_(Inuyasha's Profile)_

She was beautiful. Inuyasha allowed a smirked as he regarded Kagome from his vantage point across the room. She was radiant, and he felt that he could watch her forever.

Other women flocked to him, trying to flirt with him and invite him to dance. But they were nothing compared to her. Ignoring the women, he walked towards the girl who seemed to be more and more in his thoughts lately. The girls behind him pouted slightly, and then moved on to more willing prey.

Apparently, Kagome had noticed his unwavering attention on her, and had begun making her own way to him. Then as his eyes met hers, she froze in place. She looked as if she couldn't take her eyes off him; she looked as if she was spellbound by him. Inuyasha smiled and quickened his pace to reach her.

_(Kagome's Profile)_

Without her realizing it, he was suddenly standing so close that they were almost touching. He was close enough for her to smell him; he smelled like dried spices and a hint of smoking embers. It wasn't like anything that she had ever smelt, and yet, it was familiar at the same time. She loved his smell.

She blushed. Inuyasha wasn't dressed in his usual red fire-rat clothing; but instead it a deep crimson red frock coat, diamante at the neck, shoulders, and cuffs. Ruffs of cream-colored cloth at his throat and wrists that showed off the color of his eyes better than anything else Kagome could think of.

But it was the eyes alone that Kagome was distracted by. She felt as if she could wander, lost, in them forever…

Kagome's heart beat erratically when Inuyasha had placed his hands lightly on her waist and said very softly, "You look beautiful. You are even more beautiful, than the first time we met."

Kagome could feel her face burning a deep crimson red to match Inuyasha's coat. Her head was so foggy that she couldn't seem to think straight._ 'The last time? What did he mean?'_

Kagome turned away in embarrassment. She found herself looking into another of the tall mirrors around the room. Behind her she saw Inuyasha, standing there with a faint blush covering his own cheeks. She saw him smile before she felt him wrap his arms around her shoulders and held her with her back against him. She could feel him breathing on the side of her neck, as if he was trying to memorize her scent. It was getting harder for her to breathe; her heart speed up, and she never wanted to leave the safety and warmth of his embrace.

"Care for a dance?" he asked her quietly.

"Yes," croaked out Kagome almost silently. She was finding it harder and harder to keep her eyes open. But she could see in the mirror that he was holding his hand out.

She turned around and, without thinking, she took his hand. She felt dizzy, and her heart felt as if it was about to burst from inside her chest.

Her dizziness ceased when she went spinning around the ballroom in Inuyasha's arms. From the way that Inuyasha was staring at her, she felt like the most beautiful woman in the room. All his attention was focused onto her. The touch of his hands on her body took her breath away. To dance with him seemed the easiest and most natural motion; as if she had danced with him hundreds of times before. When he told her that she was beautiful, she felt as if her insides were set ablaze.

"I feel… I feel like… I don't know what I'm feeling."

He looked amused at that. "You don't?"

"I cannot explain it," she answered him. "I feel like… I'm in a dream, but I don't remember ever dreaming anything like this!"

He laughed, but fondly. Just as she couldn't take her eyes off him, he didn't seem to be able to take his eyes off her. "That's what makes dreams so interested," he said, and whirled her around the room. "If you remembered everything about your dreams then life would become dull, don't you think?"

She smiled up at him. She thought how handsome he was; she had never met anyone as beautiful as him… but more than that, there was something in his face that was completely enjoying this moment. She also loved dancing with him… without the mocking or secretiveness that he had been treating with her this whole adventure.

"What… what is this place?" Kagome asked, gesturing to the ballroom and the dancers spinning around them. "Just where are we?"

"We are inside a dream bubble."

"A dream bubble?" Kagome repeated confused. "You mean… it's… not real?"

"In some ways it is, and in others it is not," was his typical answer.

"But then…" Kagome began, but before she could finish, Inuyasha put his finger to her lips to stop her from talking.

"Don't speak," he said in hushed tones. He pulled her closer, resting his head on top of hers, and inhaling her scent once again. Face feeling as if it were on fire, Kagome put her head against Inuyasha's chest and listened to his heart beating alongside her own.

They stayed that way for a long time, until Kagome remembered Sota.

"I need to go back," she said quietly, not wanting to leave the security of his arms. His arms had become her sanctuary and she couldn't think of a place that she rather be. "I need to get my brother." Inuyasha pulled back to look at her, his golden eyes meeting her brown ones.

"You don't really…" he murmured, sliding a clawed thumb down her jaw line and neck. Kagome shivered at his touch. Everything about him seemed to understand her, understand who she was.

She didn't know where… but their closeness felt so… familiar… as if he held her this way before… but a long, long time ago. She never wanted to leave him…

"Stay here. Stay with me," he said to her. His head leaned in very slightly.

"I…" said Kagome who was very confused now. "I don't know… I…"

"Besides," he said as they began to twirl around again. "Stealing is a sin. Most things that are stolen can be returned, but there are something's that can't be given back? You had stolen something from me that can never be returned."

"Stolen?" asked Kagome in confusion. "What have I stolen from you?"

Her resolve was weakening and they both could tell. He leaned forward, his breath fanning her ear, and his long silver hair tickling her cheek and whispered. "You've stolen my heart."

Kagome's erratically beating heart stopped at his declaration, as did the rest of her body. Kagome saw him lean down towards her, just as she found it even harder to keep her eyes open. And so she finally closed them, just as his warm lips covered hers. Kagome felt as if a blazing fire had exploded from inside her and spreading throughout her body.

It was a burning that she never felt before… and she never wanted it to end…

She was too full of shock to respond to his kiss, but all too soon he pulled away and began to dance with her again at a much faster pace.

Kagome felt like she was flying in his arms, as they danced faster and faster. As they twirled around, she could feel him pulling her closer. The dancers surrounding them spun out of control like a kaleidoscope; but Inuyasha was the only thing that Kagome could focus on.

She felt him let go of her hand and place it behind her neck and she felt the other one on her waist.

Kagome knew what was coming and her eyes closed. For the second time during the dance, she felt his lips on hers, and this time she knew what to do.

His mouth was soft and tender, but this kiss was much more passionate than the last. She gave into his spell, and this time she returned the kiss as passionately as he did. She wrapped her hands around his neck, pulling him closer to deepen the kiss; and she felt, for the first time in her life, that she would die if she had to let go of him. Both of their arms pulled the other closer, encircling them tighter. She wanted this moment, this kiss, to last forever. She wanted to spend the rest of her life in this embrace, with their lips locked together.

Somewhere along her journey, Kagome realized, she had fallen in love with the Demon King.


	9. Seventh Hour Silent Melody

**Chapter 9: The Seventh Hour- Silent Melody**

When a person is born… we are given two hands to hold, to legs to walk, two eyes to see, and two ears to listen. But why do we only have one heart? Because the other was given to someone else for us to find. Kagome now knew that she had the other half of Inuyasha's heart, just as he held hers.

It's funny how a kiss can help you see something like that.

Have you ever been in love? People talk about falling in love all the time. They talk about how it's the most wonderful feeling in the world… let me tell you… they don't know the half of it. This feeling was more wonderful than anything else that Kagome ever felt in her entire life. You know when you that feeling that something's are meant to be? She knew without a shadow of a doubt that she was meant to be with Inuyasha…

She wanted to stay here with him forever…

How long they stood there in that kiss, Kagome had no idea... she had forgotten all about the other dancers and the music around her. The only thing that was going through her mind was that she and Inuyasha were together. His arms were wrapped around her, trying to pull her closer to him; and her arms were around him as she tried to pull him closer to her.

The feeling from his gentle, yet adoring, kiss was spreading like wildfire throughout her body. She opened her lips to allow his tongue to enter and explore every part of her mouth as she was exploring his. She finally understood the phase _'some moments should last forever…'_

She wanted this kiss to last forever. She never wanted to leave from where she was standing… if she had to spend the rest eternity like this, she wouldn't complain once. Both of their arms pulled the other closer, encircling them tighter in the dance.

Their one kiss, but that was all they needed, one kiss to prove that they belonged together. They had been born to see one another… and nothing would ever pull them apart, ever again.

And yet… suddenly… he was gone.

Kagome was never sure how exactly it ended. All she could remember was the warmth and blazing fire that came from Inuyasha had gone and she felt colder than she ever had before. She felt as if all the warmth from the world had frozen, and all the light had turned to darkness…

It was then that she noticed something was wrong… the music had gone silent…

Her eyes had snapped open just in time to see the mirrors shattering around her; the world was crumbling, and falling away.

And so was she…

_(Somewhere else)_

"What happened to Kagome?" cried a terrified looking fox demon. Shippo was letting hot tears fall down his face as Miroku and Sango were looking all around them.

"Even in the Spirit World, you have to go somewhere when you disappear!" shouted Sango. "Just what is going on? Miroku? I thought you were watching over her!"

"Sango my dearest. I thought you told me not to touch her… so I went to go find some water and then…"

"_I_ already had gone looking for the water, monk! And don't you call me 'dearest'."

Shippo sniffled in frustration, rubbing his hands over his eyes. Miroku and Sango had been arguing since the Kagome had disappeared, and he didn't understand how that was going to help. He was trying to figure out what had happened.

_(Flashback)_

_He was sitting on Miroku's shoulder who was leading the way through the bamboo forest. Sango and Kagome were right behind them and were talking about the curse on Sango's family for a little while. After that, he noticed that Kagome was starting to lag behind a little bit._

_He thought that Kagome was feeling bad for asking Sango so many personal questions and wanted to be quiet for a little while. However, when he turned around to look at her, he saw that she was far behind them and was staring at something in her hand._

_"Kagome?" called out Shippo in confusion. "Why did you stop? Didn't you say that you're running out of time?"_

_Miroku and Sango both stopped to look at her. "Kagome?" called out Sango. Kagome looked up at them for a moment; and then her eyes rolled back into her head as she fell._

_"KAGOME!" they all yelled out before running to her. _

_(End of Flashback)_

Immediately after she'd fainted, Sango had been trying to figure out why Kagome had fainted. At first, Sango thought that it was out of exhaustion or something, but then Sango realized that Kagome was under some kind of spell.

Then, the moment she, Miroku and Shippo had turned their backs, Kagome disappeared. The only one who could have seen what happened was Kirara, and no one could understand her.

Shippo realized that it was his fault. After Miroku had gone after Sango who'd gone to a small river not too far from them, Shippo had left to attend to 'business' and he left Kirara to watch over Kagome. When he'd returned, she was gone, and Sango and Miroku were yelling at each other.

"…and you call yourself a monk? Well let me tell you what I think you are…!"

"Sango, has anyone ever told you how beautiful you look when you're angry?"

Shippo decided that these two had to grow up and that he should try to snap them out of it before Sango killed Miroku. Regardless of his young age, Shippo could be very mature at times. (Especially, during times of a crisis.)

"Knock it off, you two!"

Both adults stopped and looked down at him surprised, before turning their guilty expressions onto each other.

"You guys can fight later. Right now, we have to find Kagome."

_(At the castle)_

Inuyasha was angry. He couldn't remember the last time he had been so angry.

He was going to keep Kagome in the dream bubble until she had regained her memories. At least, until SOMEBODY had interrupted the spell and broken up his moment in heaven.

His plan to help her remember had backfired, causing him to not only admit his feelings to Kagome, but to fall even deeper in love with her.

_'But_,' he thought with a grin, _'The kiss did make up for it.' _

He could still feel the fire that had burned throughout his entire being as soon as his lips met hers. He just wanted to see if the first kiss would be enough to make her want to stay with him and to forget about her brother. But as soon as his mouth had touched hers… he felt as if fireworks were erupting throughout his body.

That was why he pulled away quickly, he was stunned by the feeling… he had always wondered what it would feel like to kiss her… and it was a more wonderful experience than he could ever hope for.

He had started to dance with her again, trying to see if she had enjoyed that kiss as much as he had.

As he watched her fly in his arms, she had a stun look on her face and it seemed as if she couldn't turn away from him. He decided to push his luck.

He let go of her hand to place it behind her neck, and the other behind her back as bent his face lower to hers. At first, he had expected her to turn away, but instead she closed her eyes, letting him know that it was alright. He kissed her again… and this kiss wasn't like the last.

He put all of his feelings, all of his heart and soul into that one kiss. He tried to let her know that he meant what he said when he told her that she had stolen his heart. He wanted her to see that he truly loved her with all his being, and that his heart belonged to her and her alone. And this time, Kagome put her arms around his neck to pull him closer. He obliged only too willing.

He had been afraid that Kagome would push him away, but it turns out that she did the exact opposite. She returned his kiss as passionately as he did and even pulled him closer to deepen it. He felt, that he if he let go of her, he would lose her forever. That he would die if he let her slip through his fingers; he never wanted to end. He wanted their moment, their kiss, to last forever. Both of their arms pulled the other closer, holding them tighter as the music played.

He wanted time to stop so that he could spend the rest eternity with his arms wrapped around her, with their lips touching…

At least until the dream bubble had been interrupted.

His thoughts of his kiss with Kagome made him realize what had caused them to once again to become separated. He knew who was responsible… and his name was like poison inside his mouth.

"Naraku," he hissed.

The door across the room had opened and Sesshomaru came striding in. "He's coming…" was all he said.

Inuyasha stood up. "That bastard Naraku is coming and that's all you can say!" he yelled. "You're sure calm about it!"

Sesshomaru shrugged as if unconcerned. "I'm calm about most things."

Sesshomaru turned and as he left the room he said, "I suggest that you be ready to fight Naraku when he arrives. And also…" he looked at Inuyasha, "I think that Kagome's memories will return to her before the 13th hour strikes."

He left a stunned Inuyasha behind as the doors closed behind him.

_'Inuyasha,'_ Sesshomaru thought to himself. _'I know that everything you've done here tonight was for the girl. But you and she live in different worlds… can you handle losing the woman you love… again?'_

_(Wherever Kagome was)_

"Inuyasha," Kagome said to herself as she fell through what felt like dark water. Where had he gone? Kagome was trying to come out of her drunken state and to figure out where Inuyasha had gone to. He had gone as quickly as he had come, and it left Kagome feeling empty and broken-hearted.

She knew that he couldn't have been some hallucination or dream; she had felt his arms around her… and his lips…

Kagome blushed deeply. She had just kissed a guy that had kidnapped her brother! What was wrong with her? But… that didn't matter now. She never felt this way at any other's touch. And she knew that her feelings would never change… she couldn't help but fall in love…

But why couldn't she help but fall in love? How did he make her feel this way when they only met a few hours ago? Was this truly the first time they had met? Was this truly love at first sight? Or have they met before?

His arms… they felt so familiar. She couldn't help but feel as if she had been held in Inuyasha's embrace from somewhere before. She couldn't explain it…

She finally was able to wake herself up from her dreamlike state to realize that she was no longer falling and instead was lying outside a huge shrine, no longer in the lavish dress that she had been wearing but her old clothes. As Kagome stood up she wondered if someone here could tell her where she was; and without wasting another minute she went inside.

_(Inside the shrine)_

Several very old creatures covered head to toe with jewels were marching past her. They were all sorting through large piles of crystal and other jewels before adding to the growing pile of jewels that they were already carrying. As Kagome watched them, she just become conscious of something… she couldn't remember what happened. She couldn't remember how she got here, or what she was supposed to be looking for. The more she tried to remember, the more she forgot.

Kagome walked further in, and brushed off her the dirt off her clothes as she did. Although she was unsure why she felt like she hadn't been wearing them the whole time. She looked at her surroundings, but all she could see were large piles of jewels.

_'What happened to me?'_ she thought._ 'Where am I?' _Kagome was confused. Where was she? How did she get here? And why did she feel like she was looking for something?

Her attention was diverted when she heard a voice, withered with age, yell, "WHO ARE YOU?"

Before she realized what was happening, an old woman came out of a room. The woman's hair was long and snowy white, she had tiny beady eyes, while her face and hands looked like they were withering away with each passing second. Kagome blinked. How… bizarre.

The old woman glared at her. "Who are you?" she snapped again.

"Oh, my name is Kagome. Who are you? Do you live here?" asked Kagome kinda dully.

The old woman raised her nose in a snotty way before answering, "Of course I live here wench. My name's Tsubaki and I'm the one in charge of this shrine. What are you doing here, hmm?"

"I-I don't know," stuttered Kagome.

"Huh?" Tsubaki looked surprised. "Where were you going?"

No matter how hard she tried, Kagome really couldn't remember, and told Tsubaki, "I was searching for something, I think…"

The Tsubaki grinned suddenly, showing off her crooked teeth. "Well look what I've got here!" From behind her back she produced a tiny jewel.

"A jewel…?" Kagome said uncertainly.

"That's what you were looking for, wasn't it girl?"

"I guess so…" Kagome took the jewel and allowed herself to be ushered away from the nearby jewel piles, through a few rooms until Tsubaki told her to sit down. Tsubaki was bumbling around the room, pushing Kagome into the chair by a large circular mirror.

"Now why don't you stay here until you get your memory back? Yes, yes, yes… in fact, you look tired. Why not have a quick nap?" Kagome had a bad feeling about this Tsubaki, and she wanted to leave… but where to? This old woman wasn't the friendliest person but she was offering her a place to stay… that meant she was good—right?

Kagome suddenly noticed how tired she was and closed her eyes for a moment. As she was starting to doze off, she didn't notice that the small jewel that Tsubaki had given her was starting to glow… or the hungry look in Tsubaki's face.

Tsubaski smiled evilly as she thought, _'Yes… it's been so long since I've had a young victim. The jewel will start to steal her youth as soon as the girl falls asleep… and once she does… I'll be young once again.'_

"Come on girl… why don't you want to go to sleep?" she asked in a kindly voice.

"I'm trying," said Kagome. She was very tired, but she couldn't seem to go to sleep here. She had the weirdest feeling that there was something she was supposed to be looking for, and that she didn't have much more time to find it.

"There was something I was looking for," she murmured.

"I understand," chided Tsubaki. "But why don't you get some sleep and think it over when you wake up?"

_'No!'_ screamed a voice in Kagome's head. She couldn't sleep now, there's something that she came here to get, and she should be looking for it right now. There was also something out there that she loved with all her heart and she had to try to find that also. Her brows narrowed as she tried to remember.

Words suddenly came to her mind… words from a book…

_The Spirit World… the world where the impossible is possible. Home to magical beings such as monsters, spirits, and of course, the Demon King himself. A beautiful, young girl had battled her way through it, and now stood in the castle of the Demon King. She was preparing to confront the cause of all of the hardships she had been through._

_The doors opened and the Demon King had appeared._

_"Give me my brother," she said her voice strong and determined. She would not bow down to this man, for she was as strong as he was, and maybe, even more so._

_He stared at her face for a long moment. He walked towards her, and then placed his hand gently underneath her chin, forcing her to look into his face. "How you changed my world you precious thing," he said. "You've changed me. You have been able to reach me in a way that no one has ever done. I've struggled to understand you… I am near exhaustion. Why can you understand that everything I've done… I've done for you? I don't move the stars for just anyone. You've run for so long… and you've come so far… to me."_

_The young girl could feel her anger slowly fade away as she gazed into the Demon King's sad eyes. She reached up to take the Demon's Kings own claws and placed it on the side of her face and closed her eyes. She felt the warmth from his hand… the hand that had been the cause of all of her pain… the one that had caused the suffering that she had been through in the last half a day… and she knew that he spoke the truth._

_"I do understand," the girl said simply. "I know that all that you've done is for me… and for that… I will always be grateful. But if you truly care… if you truly want to help me… then please… give me back my brother."_

_The Demon King removed his hand and walked pass the girl, avoiding her eyes. "Everything you have wanted I have done," he said to her. "You asked the boy to be taken away. I took him, so that you would become free from worry. You arrived here to find him, we were able to meet once again. I have reordered time. I have turned the Spirit World upside down, and I have done it all for you! And yet you want to leave me…"_

_"Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered," said the young girl. "I have fought my way here to your castle through the Spirit World. And now I am face to face with you. And somewhere along my journey I've realized that I have…"_

_… I've realized that I have fallen in love with the Demon King!_

Kagome's eyes snapped open as everything came to her in a rush. Sota… Shippo… Sango… Miroku… _Inuyasha._

_"To take back the child that you have stolen…"_

"What's the matter, girl?" asked Tsubaki, noticing that Kagome had opened her eyes. "Don't you want to sleep?"

"I can't," said Kagome quietly, her face lighting up as she began to remember more and more.

_"It's only forever, not long at all." _

Tsubaki glared to look at her. "Well why not?" she snapped in frustration.

"Because," Kagome jumped up, throwing Tsubaki's jewel across the room. "I'm running out of time!"

She turned around and ran through the rooms, over the large piles of jewels, pass all the old creatures, and back outside. _'Sota,'_ she thought. _'Miroku, Sango, Shippo, Kirara, INUYASHA!'_ she had to find her friends.

She ran far and fast from the shrine and through a large green field. She had no idea where she was going, or if she was heading in the right direction; all she knew was that she had to find everyone.

As she ran, she felt a stabbing pain from inside her head. She stopped and fell to her knees, clutching her head on the way down. Abrupt darkness swept over her once again… only this time it was different from before…

She didn't fall into the deep darkness of sleep. No, it was like being awake, but dreaming at the same time. It was pitch black, she couldn't see a thing… until… she saw something…

A small girl dressed in a pink dress, with a bright red ribbon tied in the back of her head was kneeling next to a large tree with a deep scar. Kagome knew right away who the small girl was… it was herself when she was little. Normally, this would've amazed her. But with everything that had happened to her in the last few hours, this didn't surprise her one bit. As she looked on, she understood that this was a memory from her past. She saw that her younger self was kneeling next to a small boy that looked to be about her age and who was leaning up against the tree. He appeared to be injured, and Kagome's younger self seemed to be trying to help him.

The boy looked familiar to the older Kagome as she watched the two. He was dressed all in red, had silver hair, and…

Kagome gasped… were those Inuyasha's dog ears?

"Hi," said the younger Kagome to the young boy as she tied a bandage around his arm. "My name is Kagome. What's yours?"

The small boy looked up at her, and Kagome was able to get a good look at the color of his eyes—golden. "My name is Inuyasha," he said to her younger version. "And I'm the prince of the Spirit World."

**_I've decided that everyone has suffered long enough. Next chapter is when we finally learn the connection between Kagome and Inuyasha! _**

**_Chapter 9: The Eighth Hour-Vanished Memories!_**

**_Preview: _**

**_(Kagome finally understood everything. Why she love Inuyasha even though they have never met before. The truth was that it wasn't that she had just started to love him… it was because she never stopped loving him. _**

**_She had been in love with him for most of her life… ever since the day the met underneath that tree…)_**

**_thank you one and all for your reviews! and for sticking with me for this long!_**

**I've put up a few stories about Inuyasha and thank you for your updates! They've been a big help and inspiration to me! I've been thinking about writing another Inuyasha and Kagome story soon. **

**Kagome is a single mother who has raised her son on her own since her husband left her. Inuyasha is a single father who has cared for his daughter since his wife had died. Kagome is a kindergarten teacher, Inuyasha is a martial arts master... will their children bring them together? Was it always meant to be? **

**Let me know how you feel about this story and if you think that it will be a good one. and if you have any ideas please feel free to share them!**

I'm thinking of calling it **'Save the Last Dance For Me' **

below is a brief description of some of the characters and the roles they play

**Kagome-Shippo's mother/ 24 year old kindergarten teacher who loves her son, her husband Hojo had left her and now she faces the challenge of raising her son alone. She falls in love with Inuyasha… but why does she feel as if they had met before?**

**Inuyasha-Shiori's father/ 26 year old martial arts master who owns his own dojo and loves his daughter, his wife Kikyo had died after their daughter was born and now he has to raise her best he can. After he meets with Kagome, he falls in love… but why does he feel as if they were together once before?**

**Shippo- Kagome's son/ 5 year old child who loves his mommy more than anyone and wants to do whatever he can to make his mother happy; he starts taking classes at Inuyasha's dojo and becomes fast friends with Shiori. He wants Inuyasha to become his daddy so he and Shiori are gonna try to get their parents together. Loves Shiori like a sister.**

**Shiori- Inuyasha's daughter/ 5 year old who loves her daddy more than anyone and wants him to be happy. Kagome becomes her teacher and she wants Kagome to be her new mommy. Once she meets Shippo they decide to try to get their parents together. Loves Shippo like a brother.**

**Sota- Shippo's uncle and Kagome's brother/ 19 year old student that babysits Shippo when his sister is busy. He loves his sister and nephew and helps Shiori and Shippo to get their parents together.**

**Hitomi- Sota's girlfriend and possibly his future wife.**

**Sesshomaru- Shiori's uncle and Inuyasha's brother, and Rin's husband/ 29 year old business man Sesshomaru often appears aloof and indifferent, and rarely shows any emotions other than slight annoyance or dissatisfaction. Although Sesshomaru maintains a cool, uncaring, at times even heartless, exterior, he loves his wife dearly. Lovingly called "Fluffy or Uncle Sessy" by his niece and wife.**

**Rin- Shiori's aunt and Inuyasha's sister-in-law, and Sesshomaru's wife/27 year old wife of Shesshomaru and loves her husband dearly. High school sweethearts and is expecting a child to be born soon.**

**Hojo- Kagome's ex-husband who left her and Shippo when Shippo was a few months old.**

**Kikyo- Inuyasha's ex-wife who died when Shiori was only a few months old.**

**Miroku-Inuyasha's best friend and Sango's husband/ 26 year old monk who has been known in his past for being a lecher. He is one of the first people to notice the ever growing relationship between Inuyasha and Kagome, and becomes one of the first people to try to get them together.**

**Sango-Kagome's best friend and Miroku's wife/ 25 year old teacher who works alongside Kagome at a school. She is very quiet, and seems to be very wise for her age and notices the ever growing relationship between Inuyasha and Kagome, and encourages them to get together.**

**Kirara-pet cat/ School pet and mascot**

**Miroku and Sango's children - twin girls and a infant boy (haven't come up with names for them yet. any ideas?)**

**Kohaku-Sango's brother/ 19 and a half (haven't come up with a job yet)**

**Izayoi- Inuyasha's mother and Shiori's grandmother/ kind hearted woman who loves her son, and granddaughter as much as she loves her husband. She also notices the change in her son's behavior whenever Kagome is mention and encourages the growing romance.**

**Inu no Taishou- Inuyasha's father and Shiori's grandfather/ a kind and brave man who is famous for his poker face. (His emotions are almost impossible to read.)**

**Kagome's father- Kagome's father and Shippo's grandfather (haven't come up with a name for him yet. any ideas?) is very protective of his son and daughter. and of Shippo. He hated every boyfriend that Kagome went out with and every girlfriend that Sota ever brought home. Will he approve Inuyasha and Hitomi?**

**Kaede- Kagome's grandmother and Shippo's great grandma**

**Grandpa- Kagome's grandfather and Shippo's great grandpa**

**Ayumi Yuka and Eri-Kagome's friends**

**Midoriko-Teaches at the same school that Kagome and Sango do/ best friends with Hitomiko**

**Hitomiko-Teaches at the same school that Kagome, Sango, and Midoriko do/ best friends with Midoriko**

**Mayu- Shiori's friend**

**Satoru- Shippo's friend**

**Mushin- Miroku's foster father**

**Buyo Higurashi-pet cat**

**Koga- Rival of Inuyasha and husband to Ayame/ Teaches his own dojo and dreams that one day he will beat Inuyasha in a fight.**

**Ayame- wife of Koga and friends with Kagome/ Likes to argue with Koga and can hold her own in a fight.**

**Totosai- don't know yet**

**Jinenji- Doctor at school**

**Myoga the Flea- servant to Inuyasha**

**Jaken- servant of Sesshomaru and Rin**

**Naraku- Bad guy who else?**


	10. Eighth Hour Vanished Memories

**Chapter 10: The Eighth Hour- Vanished Memories**

A younger version of Kagome was kneeling beside a younger version of Inuyasha. Leaving the older Kagome standing there completely lost to what was happening. Was this just another freaky dream or illusion? If she hadn't have been through a number of other weird thing in the last few hours she would have thought so. Kagome took a few steps forward so that she could get a better look at the pair.

Yes, it was definitely a younger her. This little girl dressed in a pink dress, with a bright red ribbon tied in the back of her head; had the same face, eyes, and hair that she did right now. Kagome cast a quick glance up at the tree and recognized it as well. When she was little she would run out to the small woods that were right behind her house and spend hours and hours climbing the trees. But there was one tree in particular that she love to climb more than any other.

She would spend countless hours climbing its branches, or just sitting underneath and daydream… her mother once asked her why she would do this and she replied that she was waiting for someone.

_Hold on… waiting for someone? Did she really say that? It's been so long she couldn't remember…_

The older Kagome looked back down at the couple and watched them.

"Hi," said the younger Kagome to the younger Inuyasha as she tied a bandage around his arm. "My name is Kagome. What's yours?"

"My name is Inuyasha," he said to her younger version. "And I'm the prince of the Spirit World."

Little Kagome gasped. "Prince of the Spirit World?" she squealed in a high-pitched voice. "No you aren't… really? Are you serious? If you are then why are you here? What happened to you? What are you doing underneath this tree? Where did you get all those injuries? Are you really a prince? Where's the Spirit World? What's it like there? And are those doggy ears?"

The older Kagome smiled to herself. Her mother told her that she had a bad habit of asking a lot of questions when she got excited.

Little Inuyasha was staring at her with a look of amazement as if he had never seen anything like her before. "You sure talk a lot."

Little Kagome laughed with a slight blush. "Yeah, momma says I ask too many questions. But I can't help it, you know?"

Little Inuyasha shook his head. "No I don't. I don't really talk all that much."

Young Kagome tilted her head in a confused way, "Why?" she asked.

Inuyasha shifted uncomfortably, "I'm a half-breed," was his simple answer. "People think that half-breeds shouldn't be allowed to speak.

"Half-breed?" repeated young Kagome in confusion.

"Can't you see?" said Inuyasha showing her his fangs, claws, and his dog ears. "I'm half demon and half human. Even in the Spirit World there's no place for me. Humans are afraid and hate me because I'm part demon and demons look down on me because I'm part human."

"Why should they?"

Inuyasha looked at her like she was crazy.

"I mean…" went on little Kagome, "What's wrong with being half? The way I see it you get the best of both worlds right?"

Inuyasha shook his head in an exasperated way, "You're the first person, other than my mother, who thinks like that."

"Your mother is human?"

"She was…" he said sadly.

Little Kagome had gone very pale and leaned back onto her knees. "I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"Don't apologize," said Inuyasha. "It's not your fault."

"Yeah… but I know what it's like to lose a parent."

Inuyasha raised his head in surprise. "How do you know?"

"Because… my daddy is dead," she answered sadly. "So I know what it's like when you lose someone."

The older Kagome looked at her younger self with sad eyes. It was true. A few months after her parents came home with Sota, her father had gotten into a bad car accident. He fell into a coma… and he died just a few days later. Kagome could feel her eyes beginning to tear up as she thought of her father…

Suddenly her younger version brightened up. "But it's ok now," she said happily. "I still miss daddy but I still have mommy. And she says that daddy is now a guardian angel and he's watching over me and my family now."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "You honestly believe that?" said Inuyasha in a disbelieving tone.

Both the younger and older versions of Kagome glared at him with a dark look. "I have to," said little Kagome. "I miss daddy so much that I ache… but that thought makes it better… if only a little bit." She suddenly smiled again, "And you know what? I'm sure that your mommy is watching over you right now."

Inuyasha had gone very red and turn his head away from her so that she couldn't see the blush. Little Kagome smiled as she went back to tending his injuries.

As Kagome watched them, she gasped. She fell to her knees and clutched her head in pain. This memory suddenly came to her… it was like a powerful river bursting through a dam from within her mind.

As she held her head… the memory came back. She could clearly remember now…

_'That's right,'_ she thought as she saw herself tending to Inuyasha's wounded arm. _'I remember… I went outside to play in the woods and I saw him leaning up against the tree, holding his arm.'_

_*Flashback*_

_Her eyes snapped open._

_When she was little, she went out to climb the trees; while she was walking towards her favorite tree she saw a boy resting on one of the lower branches. She got scared and hit behind a tree and watched him. She never saw this boy before and mommy had warned her about strangers. As she watched his slow breathing and the sweat drip down as his face clenched in pain she thought that he might've been hurt. Kagome hid behind the tree and gazed at him for a long time. Kagome didn't know what she was doing or why she was doing it; but she mustered up her courage and walked forward until she stood right underneath the tree branch._

_"Are you alright?" she asked timidly._

_The boy's eyes snapped open at the sound of the voice and tumbled out of the tree._

_"OWW!" he yelled out as he hit the ground with a loud thud. "What the hell are you doing!" he yelled at her. "What was that for?"_

_"You don't need to yell!" Kagome shouted back. "I just wanted to know if you were ok! So stop yelling at me!"_

_The boy suddenly shut up. "You wanted to know if I was ok?" he asked in amazement. _

_Kagome had been surprised that HE was so surprised. "Yeah," she said hesitantly. "I just saw you up there… and I was wondering if you were hurt. Do you need help? I can go and get my mommy and…" _

_"NO!" yelled the boy again. _

_He yelled so loud that Kagome had to press her hands over her ears to block out the noise. "Why do you keep yelling?" she said angrily. _

_"Look," snapped the boy. "I'm doing fine on my own. I don't need anyone to look after me. So just go away."_

_"But…" began Kagome as the boy turned his head away from her and huddled closer to the tree. "I said I'm fine. Just go away."_

_Kagome stamped her foot in anger. "Fine! I'll go!" and without another word, she turned and went stomping away, fuming the whole time. _

_After a little while however she stopped walking to look over her shoulder. She couldn't see the boy anymore… but she couldn't just leave him alone… could she? No… daddy had always told her that if someone needed help then she should do whatever she could to help them. Even if the boy was mean and rude to her, he needed help._

_She went off running towards the house. _

_"Kagome?" said her mother in surprise. "What are you doing back here so soon? Usually, you're out for hours and I have to practically drag you back in."_

_"Nothing mommy," said Kagome as sweetly as she could. "I just came inside to get something." _

_"Like what?" her mother asked. Before Kagome could think of a good answer, Sota began to cry from upstairs, which was her mother's cue to go and take care of him. As soon as she smiled and went upstairs, Kagome waited for a minute to make sure she was gone before heading to the downstairs bathroom, reaching up to the medicine cabinet and taking out a small first aid kit. She had decided that she was going to help the boy, whether he wanted her to or not._

_She quickly left the bathroom and went over to the fridge to get a cold bottle of water. As soon as she had what she needed, she was out the door. Kagome ran passed the trees to reach him._

_Yep, he was still there. _

_He was still leaning up against the tree and she was right to think that he was hurt. He looked worse with each passing second, and she knew she was the only person around who knew that he was here. It didn't matter if he was mean… she wasn't going to disappoint her father._

_She took a deep breath and made herself known. The boy looked up at her with startled eyes before he started to growl like a dog would. "What are you doing back here? I thought that I told you to go away!" he turned his head, not wanting to look at her._

_"Because I want to help you!" said Kagome and she went over to his side. "My daddy always taught me that if there's someone out there that needs help… then I should at least try to take care of them!" she said this with such force that he didn't dare argue._

_Once she had calmed down, she held out the water bottle. She could see in his face that he was dying to take a sip, but was concerned that she might've done something to it. "I swear," she said softly. "I just want to help you. But if you don't believe me," she took the lid of and took a few small sips. After waiting a few minutes… the boy reached over and began to drink as if he never tasted water before. When he took the bottle from her, she noticed that his nails looked more like a claws than anything else…_

_After he had drunk all the water, he demanded to know why she was helping him. Kagome shrugged, "Like I said, my father always said to help someone if they need it. No other reason. Now can I look at your arm? I have a first aid kit and I think that I should be able to make it feel better." _

_*End of Flashback*_

"I remember now," whispered Kagome with a tear running down her cheek.

She met Inuyasha when she was a young child and tended to his injuries. Every day for a few weeks, she went go to him with food, water, and medicine and did whatever she could to make his pain go away. When she went to see him, they would talk for what seemed like hours; she soon found out that she could talk to him about anything. She would tell him all of her hopes, dreams, fears, memories, and everything else that came into her mind.

And in turn… he would tell her everything about his life. He talked about his parents, his brother, the world that he lived in, how he was always bullied in picked on for being a half-demon…

He had become her friend… her source of comfort… like a ray of light at the end of a dark tunnel

Thinking about it now… it was like some kind of a fairytale. In fact, it was just like a fairytale. He was the prince and she was the young maiden from her favorite story. When she was with him, it was like time stand still for just the two of them, and that was fine by her. Kagome finally understood everything. Why she love Inuyasha even though they have only known each other for a few short hours. The truth was that it wasn't that she had just started to love him… it was because she never stopped loving him.

She had been in love with him for most of her life… ever since the day the met underneath that tree… Yes, even though she was only a child… she just couldn't help falling in love.

But then… one day when she went to the tree… he had just disappeared and she never saw him again. After he left… Kagome had lost her energy. She missed him so much that the pain was unbearable. She went out to the tree everyday for almost 2 weeks; but once she realized that he wasn't coming back, she tried so hard to forget him… that she must've blocked Inuyasha out from her memories.

That would explain why she didn't remember him. What Inuyasha said to her earlier made since now. When he asked her if she knew his face… he was wondering if she remembered him!

But why did he just leave her like that? She needed him, and he left.

Not that it mattered to her. She knew that she loved him. And he loved her. That was all that she needed to know. Her memory faded and she once again blacked out. Only this was the kind of darkness that was both peaceful and beautiful. This time she didn't have any nightmares; she dreamt only of Inuyasha and of the feeling of his lips on hers.

And she also of a poem she heard a long time ago that seemed to fit the mood perfectly.

_Roses are red,_

_Violets are blue._

_You told me you loved me_

_And I loved you too._

_But the roses have wilted_

_And the violets have too._

_So now I lie here,_

_Dreaming of you._

(Sorry for taking so long. I've had a major writer's block. What do you all think so far? Now that Kagome's remembered that she loves Inuyasha, what's in store for them now?)


	11. Ninth Hour Good and Bad Memories

**Chapter 11: The Ninth Hour- Good and Bad Memories**

Inuyasha was watching Kagome in the mirror again. He saw that she had escaped the temple with Tsubaki and was relieved to see that she was safe. He saw her run… and run… and run… until she fell and lay motionless on the ground.

After a moment and no movement, Inuyasha stood up from his throne and was about to go to her when he heard a smug voice from behind him.

"Let her be."

Inuyasha quickly spun around, "Sesshomaru!" he snapped. "How many times do I have to tell you! Don't sneak up on me!"

Sesshomaru came from the shadows like the aristocratic assassin that he was. He shrugged at the outburst before he continued on his way like nothing had happened. But before he left the hall he turned and said, "Kagome's memories are returning to her as we speak. I wouldn't bother her now if I were you."

Inuyasha, who was about to call Sesshomaru something that would make any mother want to wash his mouth out with soap, stopped dead.

"What?"

"You heard me," said Sesshomaru. "By the time that she wakes up, her memories should've returned to her. Besides, you should be more concerned about getting ready to face Naraku. I mean, if you want to defeat the villain, save the kingdom, and win the fair maiden's heart… then you better be getting ready for battle."

And without another word, he left the room.

Inuyasha stared after him, completely stunned. Why was Sesshomaru being so uncharacteristically understanding? Why was Sesshomaru caring if Kagome got her memories back at all? Sometimes he just didn't understand his brother.

But if what he said was right, then soon… Kagome would remember everything. He clenched his fists so tightly that his claws where cutting into his flesh. He remembered if as if it were yesterday.

_*Flashback*_

_He had gone to fight Sesshomaru. He wanted to prove that he could fight back, and that he wasn't worthless like everyone believed. He had been warned not to go and pick a fight with Sesshomaru. But he didn't listen, and he ended up getting his butt kick. Heck, he was almost killed in that fight. Inuyasha used what little energy he had to get away… but there was no way he was going back to the castle after getting beaten by Sesshomaru… again. There was no way that he was going to face everyone at the castle like this… no he had to go somewhere else until his injuries healed._

_Instead, he decided to go down to earth… to a small secluded wood where he knew that no one would bother him. At least he thought that no one would…_

_He had wondered through the trees for a short time until he spotted a large tree that was smack-dab, right in the middle of the woods. It was the perfect place for him to rest and recover… which, of course, shouldn't be more than a few days._

_So with what little energy he had, he leapt up onto the nearest branch, leaned up against the trunk, shut his eyes, and fell into a light sleep._

_He hadn't been asleep for very long though. If felt like he had just closed his eyes when he heard a soft and timid voice ask, "Are you alright?" _

_His eyes snapped open at the sound of the gentle voice and he ended up tumbling out of the tree._

_"OWW!" he yelled out as he hit the ground with a loud thud. "What the hell are you doing!" he yelled in the direction of the voice. "What was that for?"_

_"You don't need to yell!" the voice shouted back. "I just wanted to know if you were ok! So stop yelling at me!"_

_Inuyasha shut up when he saw who it was. It was a young girl that looked no older than he was, dressed in a bright pink dress, with her hair tied back in a ponytail with a red ribbon. She had an angry and hurt look on her face which was turning red from her yelling; and Inuyasha almost immediately felt ashamed at yelling at a girl. And a cute one at that._

_But what amazed him was that she was actually concerned about his wellbeing… "You wanted to know if I was ok?" he asked in amazement. _

_The girl looked surprised that HE was so surprised, "Yeah," she said hesitantly. "I just saw you up there… and I was wondering if you were hurt. Do you need help? I can go and get my mommy and…" _

_"NO!" Inuyasha yelled, making the girl jump and cover her ears. He felt sorry for hurting her ears, but no one else could know that he was here. _

_ "Why do you keep yelling?" the girl yelled out angrily. _

_"Look," he snapped, suddenly not caring if he hurt her feelings anymore. "I'm doing fine on my own. I don't need anyone to look after me. So just go away."_

_"But…" she began as he turned his head away from her and huddled closer to the tree. "I said I'm fine. Just go away."_

_He heard the girl stamp her foot in anger. "Fine! I'll go!" and without another word, he heard her go stomping away, fuming. _

_Why? Why did he always turn people away? He guessed that he just couldn't stand the thought of a girl seeing him hurt and weak. He pulled his knees up to his chest and curled up at the base of the tree, trying to go back to sleep._

_But he just couldn't bring himself to sleep; the hurt look on the girls face was keeping him up. He felt worse with each passing second._

_After a little while, he heard the sound of footsteps approaching the tree again. He looked up startled, and began to growl like an angry dog. Oh, it was just the girl again. "What are you doing back here? I thought that I told you to go away!" _

_He then turned his head away, not wanting to look at her; now feeling even more guilty for taking his anger out on her. But what she said shocked him more than anything else that day._

_"Because I want to help you!" said the girl and she went over to his side completely ignoring his warning. "My daddy always taught me that if there's someone out there that needs help… then I should at least try to take care of them!" she said this with such force that he didn't dare argue back._

_She wanted to help him? No one had ever wanted to even come near him, let alone help him. Was this some kind of trick?_

_The girl knelt down be his side, and held out a water bottle. Oh, God… that water looked so good. He was just dying to take a sip… in fact it was taking every ounce of his will to not grab it out of her hands and gulp it down. But what if she had done something to the water?_

_ "I swear," the girl softly. "I just want to help you. But if you don't believe me," she took the lid of and took a few small sips. After waiting a few minutes… his will caved in, and he reached over and began to drink; and it was the best water he ever had. _

_After he had drunk all the water, he looked back at the girl trying to figure out why she was bothering herself to do this. She could just have easily left him here, even after he yelled at her. So why was she doing this? "Why are you helping me?" _

_The girl merely shrugged, "Like I said, my father always said to help someone if they need it. No other reason. Now can I look at your arm? I have a first aid kit and I think that I should be able to make it feel better." _

_*End of Flashback*_

Inuyasha smiled to himself as he thought about how she came to help him even after he told her to get lost. Even way back then she was a kind person…

_* Flashback*_

_"Let's start over," said the girl as she began to treat his arm._

_"Hi! My name is Kagome. What's yours?"_

_Kagome? So that was her name… and a pretty one too… "My name is Inuyasha," he said to her. "And I'm the prince of the Spirit World."_

_Kagome gasped. "Prince of the Spirit World?" she squealed in a high-pitched voice. "No you aren't… really? Are you serious? If you are then why are you here? What happened to you? What are you doing underneath this tree? Where did you get all those injuries? Are you really a prince? Where's the Spirit World? What's it like there? And are those doggy ears?" _

_Inuyasha was staring at her like she had grown a horn or something. "You sure talk a lot."_

_Kagome laughed with a slight blush. "Yeah, momma says I ask too many questions. But I can't help it, you know?"_

_Inuyasha shook his head. "No I don't. I don't really talk all that much."_

_Kagome tilted her head in a confused way, "Why?" she asked._

_Inuyasha shifted uncomfortably, "I'm a half-breed," was his simple answer. "People think that half-breeds shouldn't be allowed to speak._

_"Half-breed?" repeated Kagome in confusion._

_"Can't you see?" said Inuyasha showing her his fangs, claws, and his dog ears. "I'm half demon and half human. Even in the Spirit World there's no place for me. Humans are afraid and hate me because I'm part demon and demons look down on me because I'm part human."_

_"Why should they?"_

_Was she for real? _

_"I mean…" went on Kagome, "What's wrong with being half? The way I see it you get the best of both worlds right?"_

_No one and he meant no one had ever said anything like that to him. They had always considered him an outcast. For as long as he could remember, he had been told that he born a cursed fate from the moment of his birth, and that he must not be allowed to exist. And now, this girl here was telling him the exact opposite. Inuyasha shook his head in exasperation, "You're the first person, other than my mother, who thinks like that."_

_"Your mother is human?"_

_"She was…" he said sadly. His mother had dead a few years ago; and his heart still felt as if someone had stuck a rusty blade into it._

_Kagome had gone very pale and leaned back onto her knees. "I'm sorry. I didn't know."_

_"Don't apologize," said Inuyasha not wanting her to feel sad because of him. "It's not your fault."_

_"Yeah… but I know what it's like to lose a parent." _

_Inuyasha raised his head in surprise. "How do you know?"_

_"Because… my daddy is dead," she answered sadly. "So I know what it's like when you lose someone."_

_It was Inuyasha's turn to look at her with sad eyes. So she, of all people, must understand what he was going through… but he was surprised by the way she suddenly brightened up. "But it's ok now," she said happily. "I still miss daddy but I still have mommy. And she says that daddy is now a guardian angel and he's watching over me and my family now."_

_Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "You honestly believe that?" he said disbelieving._

_Kagome glared at him with a dark look. "I have to," said little Kagome. "I miss daddy so much that I ache… but that thought makes it better… if only a little bit." She suddenly smiled again, "And you know what? I'm sure that your mommy is watching over you right now."_

_Inuyasha had gone very red and turn his head away from her so that she couldn't see the blush. Kagome just smiled as she went back to tending his injuries._

_*End of Flashback*_

He met Kagome when she was a young child and she had gone out of her way to tend to his injuries. Every day for a few weeks, she went to him with food, water, and medicine and did whatever she could help him. All too soon, his injuries had healed, but he couldn't bring himself to leave her. Whenever Kagome came, they would talk for what seemed like hours. She would tell him all of her hopes, dreams, fears, memories, and everything else that came into her mind.

And he would tell her everything about his life. He talked about his parents, his brother, the world that he lived in, how he was always bullied in picked on for being a half-demon…

She had become his only friend… his source of comfort… like a ray of light at the end of a dark tunnel.

Little by little, she would heal a little bit of his wounded heart. Whenever he was with her, it was like time stand still for just the two of them, and that was fine by him. He could've stayed frozen in time with her the rest of eternity. Somehow without him ever realizing it, he had fallen in love with her… and he never stopped.

She was his first love. He had been in love with her for most of his life… ever since the day the met underneath that tree…

Even though they were only children at the time… he just couldn't help falling in love.

_*Outside the throne room*_

_'What an idiot,'_ thought Sesshomaru as he walked through the halls. Even after all this time, his brother's heart had been captured by the same kind of creature that stolen their father's heart.

Inuyasha had gone to him one day and demanded a fight to prove himself. Of course, Sesshomaru had no trouble and won easily.

But Inuyasha just didn't know when he was beaten. He just kept fighting, blindly forward, until Sesshomaru had no choice but to teach him a lesson. By the end of the battle, Inuyasha had been wounded and took off.

He had expected his little brother to go back to the castle, but instead he went running off to earth for who know why. Sesshomaru had also thought that he would have been back in the week that followed and demanding a rematch… but he never returned.

Finally, after weeks and still no sign of him, he was told to go out and fetch him.

Finding him wasn't any trouble…

Bringing him back on the other hand…

_* Flashback*_

_"Let go Sesshomaru! I don't want to go back!" cried out Inuyasha. "I want to stay here!"_

_"After all the trouble I went through to find you after that fight, and this is how you treat me?" said Sesshomaru in that cold voice of his. "What? Didn't you ever learn manners?"_

_Inuyasha wrenched his arm about of Sesshomaru's cold one and took a few steps back._

_"Why do you want to stay here anyway?" demanded Sesshomaru in a calm voice._

_"None of your business," snapped Inuyasha. "Just go away and leave me alone!"_

_Sesshomaru rolled his eyes. "I'm not leaving until you give me an explanation to where you have been the last few weeks and why you don't want to come back now."_

_Inuyasha had merely blushed and snapped for Sesshomaru leave again. Sesshomaru raised his eyebrows; what could be so important that he didn't want to leave? He decided to find out._

_"Fine," he said and began to walk away._

_Inuyasha's ears had twitched. "What?" he said._

_"You said you want to stay here… fine by me… I never felt that you belonged in the Spirit World anyway." _

_He just disappeared after that. Or, so Inuyasha thought._

_Instead, Sesshomaru hid himself in the trees and waited. Something was keeping Inuyasha in this world and he wanted to know what it was. He didn't have to wait long. In no time at all, a small girl came running up out of nowhere crying, "Inuyasha! Inuyasha! Sorry for taking so long."_

_Ah! So this was the reason he didn't want to go. Well, this girl looked like trouble… and trouble causes problems._

_She and Inuyasha sat underneath the tree and both began having long talks, about anything that would come up. It was very boring here the troubles of two small children. He stayed hidden for a long time, just waiting for the girl to get tired and to just go home. (Which she finally did, although it was long after the sun had gone down.)_

_She got up and he heard her say, "I'll see you tomorrow Inuyasha." she gave him a small wave and a large smile before she went skipping through the trees, and leaving Inuyasha with a star stuck look on his face._

_Once she had gone, Sesshomaru leapt down from his tree so gracefully and quietly that Inuyasha didn't have a hope of hearing him. "She's a sweet girl," he said right behind Inuyasha._

_His brother jumped a good 6 feet in the air when he heard Sesshomaru speak. It was so funny that even Sesshomaru had to work hard to hide a smile._

_"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?" he bellowed at Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru merely shrugged. "I was curious. I waited, and I saw that girl come here. What was her name again? Kagome?"_

_Inuyasha had gone red at the mention of Kagome's name._

_"So… would I be right in saying that she's the reason why you refuse to come back?"_

_"How do you know?"_

_"It's obvious."_

_"If you know then why do you ask?"_

_"Inuyasha… you know as well as I do that you can't stay here forever."_

_"Why not! You said so yourself! I never belonged in the Spirit World! So why not stay here?"_

_"And I stand by what I said. But if you stay… then she will be in danger."_

_Inuyasha had gone very pale. "What are you talking about?" he demanded._

_Sesshomaru rolled his eyes again. "Isn't obvious?" he said. "Half-demon though you are, you are still the son of the Demon King. Enemies of the Spirit World could try to use that to their advance. If they go after you, they will discover the relationship between you and your strong-willed girlfriend. They'll use that to get what they want."_

_"First of all, she's not my girlfriend!" said Inuyasha. "And second, you don't need to worry. I can deal with any sort of demon!"_

_"Like how you dealt with me a few weeks ago?" asked Sesshomaru slyly. _

_Inuyasha gave him a look of hatred before Sesshomaru went on, "I'm not talking about you. What if they get hold of Kagome? They'll be able to make you do anything they want you to do. And if you don't, then they'll kill her." He saw that Inuyasha had gone as white as a sheet when he realized what he was saying._

_"I know that you want to stay with Kagome. But if you stay… then you will be putting her life in danger… is that what you want?"_

_*End of Flashback*_

Not surprisingly, Inuyasha chose to go back to the Spirit World. Although he insisted on staying until Kagome came back… he wanted to see her one last time.

They both waited up in the trees until he saw her leaving the house and running through the woods toward their tree. But he just couldn't bring himself to say goodbye to her. So before she reached the tree, he left with Sesshomaru. But not before making a promise that they would meet again. And with one final look at the girl, the two brothers left earth and returned to the Spirit World.

After they had returned home, Inuyasha fell into such a deep spiral of depression that the healers who lived in the castle thought that he would never get better. He would spend long hours staring out the window, refusing meals and never said a word. After a few months of this, even Sesshomaru was getting sick of his misery.

He had been down for so long, that Sesshomaru gave him the magic jewel and the mirror so that he could look at Kagome whenever he wanted. Inuyasha would gaze into the mirror and use the jewel several times a day, just to look at his beloved's face.

Sesshomaru was just glad that soon this whole mess will be over. His brother had never stopped thinking about the girl and Sesshomaru was often visited by the urge to strangle Inuyasha.

Hopefully, once Naraku was defeated, Inuyasha would stop thinking about her and just marry the girl already.

_*Kagome*_

Kagome had woken up when she heard someone calling out her name. She opened her eyes, still dazed from the dream she just had, and from her returned memories.

As she forced herself to sit up, she saw two tall figures and a much smaller one, racing towards her.

"Kagome!"

"Sango! Miroku! Shippo!" she cried out in happiness once she recognized who they were. As she struggled to get to her feet; she laughed as the small fox demon flung him into her arms, apparently forgetting to be mature and intelligent in his excitement to see her. "Kagome! We were so worried! We thought that we lost you for good! It's good to have you back!"

Sango ran up to her friend, grinning and slightly out of breath. "Kirara tracked you down," she explained gesturing down towards her fire kitty that just mewed proudly.

"Thanks guys," was all Kagome could say to her wonderful friends.

"Look, Kagome," said Miroku, pointing to something behind her. Kagome turned around and grinned. "We're almost there. Just beyond these hills are the gates to the castle."

The friends continued the celebration as they headed towards the castle gates. They were all talking and laughing; just glad to all be together again. A couple of them kept falling down a few times in their haste to reach the gates.

Finally there, Kagome dusted off her clothes and grinned again. I mean, how could she not? She had found her friends, she was finally at the castle gate, and soon everything was going to be answered. Ever since she regained her memory, an infectious smile had been plastered onto her face. For one memory in particular kept popping up.

_Inuyasha…_

Feeling her face heat up, Kagome quickly turned away from her friends. She remembered dancing with him, and she remembered the feeling of his lips on hers. And now Kagome remembered that she was in love with him. But there was a question that was eating away at her… and she needed to know the answer… and Inuyasha was the only person who could give it to her.

"Kagome?" asked Sango, noticing that Kagome had turned away from them. "Is something wrong?"

Before Kagome could think of something, a cold voice rang out and stopped them in their tracks.


	12. Tenth Hour The Gates of the Castle

**Chapter 12: The Tenth Hour- The Gates of the Castle**

"I'm impressed that you made it this far," said a dark voice that seemed to be coming from everywhere around them. Kagome felt her heart sink as she turned to look behind her.

Standing there was a demon. But not just any demon… even though he looked human right now… Kagome somehow knew that this demon… was practically pulsing evil.

He had a rather feminine look to him; his hair was long and black and varies from shaggy to curly, his eyes were red in color and gave off a cold aura further alluding to his evil nature. He wore a light blue jacket with a purplish interior and a yellow obi tied around his waist, with armor made out of what looked like bones and possessed three large dragon tails. The center of his chest armor and the back of his hands had red eyes embedded in them. Even though he was a human… Kagome somehow knew who he was…

… he was the spider from her nightmare…

"Hello," he said in a cold voice that seemed to cause the air around them to drop several degrees. "I must say that I never expect a handful of mere humans, and a couple weak demons to make it all the way up here to meet me."

"WEAK DEMON?" roared Shippo in outrage. "Is he talking about me?"

"Don't worry Shippo," said Miroku through clenched teeth. "He's just trying to get to you."

"Kagome?" said Sango as she put her hand on her weapon. "Listen… you go in and get help. We'll try to hold him off for as long as we can."

"What? No! I can't leave you alone to face him!" cried out Kagome in distress.

"This is our battle Kagome," said Miroku. "We've got a score to settle with him."

"What do you mean you've got…?" and then it her.

"You're Naraku aren't you?" she cried. He grinned in a way that sent shivers down her spine. "You're the one who destroyed the dream bubble?" she gasped, a finger pointed accusingly in his direction. Her friend's gave her a questioning look, but the stranger's cruel laughter brought their attention back to him.

"So what if I did?" he said, a smirk upon his face. "I thought that your dream bubble was a little too sickening. In fact, I felt the need to throw up."

That stung. Kagome took a step forward—what she was going to do she didn't know; so it was probably a good think that Miroku and Sango had gripped her arms and held her back.

"Calm down, he's only trying to trick you into doing something stupid," said Miroku, his good hand hovering over the other, as though he'd use it. Naraku simply laughed again.

"Ah, monk. How's your hand doing? Better, I hope?"

Miroku scowled at the Naraku's mocking tone. To Kagome's surprise, Sango stepped in front of him, as though to protect him.

"How cute," taunted Naraku. "The slayer is protecting the monk. You didn't do a very good job protecting your family, did you?"

Sango let out a growl that sounded more like something that would come Inuyasha than her; she looked as if she was ready to take off Naraku's head… which she probably was going to do.

"Kagome?" she hissed. "You go and get help from inside the castle. And then take your brother and run. Run as far as you can from here."

"No way!" said Kagome. "I'm not leaving you guys here to…"

"Now is not the time to argue," said Sango not looking at her. "Please… you have a duty to protect your brother… don't fail him like… like I failed mine."

Kagome couldn't think of anything to say to that.

"Kagome," said Miroku. "I agree with Sango. Please go and get help, we'll hold him off. And then get out of here!"

"But…" began Kagome.

"NOW!" cried Sango as she then went and charged Naraku.

"SANGO!" cried out Kagome in panic as she saw her friend going after Naraku with the giant boomerang; screaming, "NARAKU! YOU'RE DEAD!"

"Don't worry Kagome," said Shippo as he leapt down from Miroku's shoulder, "We can handle it."

"Well, come on then!" said Miroku rolling up his sleeve and tugging at the beads around his hand. "Kagome, please go and get some help. We're strong enough to hold him off, but we're gonna need help to destroy him once and for all."

"No!" yelled Kagome livid. "I want to help!"

"You will be helping," yelled back Miroku as he went charging after Sango. Kirara had just transformed, and leapt into the air to circle Naraku. "Go and get help!

"But…"

"Kagome?" said Shippo at her feet. "The more time that you spend here arguing, the less time we have to get some reinforcements."

He made a good point there.

"But…" she struggled with herself for a moment before, finally, she nodded. "Alright! Take care of everyone," she called to Shippo as she turned and ran through the gates.

Ever been to Cinderella Castle? Imagine it twice as big, twice as wide, with twice the towers, and twice magnificence. Then you might have some idea on what the castle of the Demon King looked like. The castle appeared to be made of white and silver stone with royal blue roofs on their turrets; the tops of several towers and two of the tallest spires looked as if they were made with real gold and gold leaf. The castle was also surrounded by a moat, which was full of black water; with a drawbridge that looked like it was made of a dark oak.

If things weren't so serious, Kagome would have been stuck staring up at the castle with her mouth hanging open for hours.

Kagome ran up towards the giant front gate that towered a good 20 or 30 feet above her. "Great," snapped Kagome to herself. "My friends are in danger, and I don't know how to get into the damn place!"

As soon as she said that, the doors automatically opened by themselves… to reveal a tall man standing there. A very handsome man was walking towards her calmly as if nothing was wrong. He had long, white hair swayed gently, a blue crescent moon on his forehead, and two red markings on each cheek and on the sides of his wrists as well as one red stripe on each of his eye lids. He looked at her with mild surprise and continued to walk towards her.

"Are you…?" Kagome asked as she stared at him. She remembered that Inuyasha had told her about his brother when they were children. So could he possibly be…?

"Lord Sesshomaru," he answered before Kagome could finish. "Naraku's out there isn't he?" without waiting for an answer he strolled right pass Kagome as if he did it every day.

"Wait… I…" stammered Kagome; she was so confused and needed answers.

"Go," said Sesshomaru without looking at her. "Inuyasha's waiting for you inside. I'll handle this."

"Inuyasha?" began Kagome startled.

Sesshomaru looked back at her as if she was stupid. "I'm getting tired of this little game," he said calmly. "I know that you came here… not only to get your brother… but to see Inuyasha. I know that you want to see him. He's inside and waiting to speak with you. If you want to know why he did everything he's done… if you want to get some answers… then leave Naraku to me and go speak with Inuyasha."

He then left.

_'Yes,'_ thought Kagome. _'Definitely Inuyasha's brother,' _but she would worry about him later and ran through the open doors into the palace.

_*She must have spent at least almost another hour running through the castle.*_

It turns out that the castle was even bigger on the inside than it looked on the outside. Kagome knew that it was going to take hours just to find her way through this place; let alone find someone. It was like looking for a needle—no—something smaller than a needle, in a haystack when you don't even know if you're in the right field. (The entrance hall was bigger than most houses are)

She ran up and down hallways, through rooms that were so large that they could easily fit a couple thousand people, she up and down staircases, and pass countless doors. And she hadn't seen a single living soul.

She ran up another shining staircase aligned with more than forty suits of armors, and right beneath a dozen stained glass windows with pictures in that she didn't recognize, or rather didn't have time to even look at.

She stopped at the top of the stars to realize that it lead to about hundred more doors… she didn't have time for this! She turned around, and went running back down the stairs. 'Don't they have maps around this place like they do in shopping malls?' she thought as she ran through another room, only to see that it lead to a dead end. If she didn't find her way through this giant maze soon, she'll never find Sota, and she'll be forced to live here forever… but…

Was that such a bad thing anymore?

Did she really want to go back to earth? To be away from the man that she loves?

By this point she was exhausted, out of breath, and so confused on what to do that she just couldn't take it anymore. Sesshomaru said that Inuyasha was waiting for her inside… but where? There had to be well over a thousand rooms in this place! Finally fed up, she stopped running and screamed out, "INUYASHA!"

Boy, that scream felt good. While Kagome took several deep breaths… she heard a sound…

****

Kagome whipped around in surprise. The door that she had been standing next to had just opened on this own; letting out a long and eerie creak. Kagome walked forward until she stood in the door frame; looking into the impossibly huge _(no enormous)_ room. There were no lights, so it was so dark that she could only see the first few feet that were in front of her.

She stepped inside, walking on a long red carpet that stretched the length of the hall, along a white marble floor. Her muffled footsteps echoed around the room, bouncing off the walls and came back to her. She continued on her way… until she could see a flash of silver in front of her.

Sitting on a large throne at the end of the room was Inuyasha.


	13. Eleventh Hour More Wonderful

**Chapter 13: The Eleventh Hour- More Wonderful**

Ever have one of those moments when you look at someone, and you can feel magic in the air? Your heart skips a beat, your air comes out in short breaths, you feel light-headed and you feel that you had entered some kind of fairy tale?

Well, that's what happened to Kagome.

Inuyasha was sitting on a throne and staring at her with the sort of starry eyed look when you're looking at something, or someone, who is very precious to them.

Kagome felt as if fireworks were erupting inside her. It must have been the way he was staring at her. All that she could say was that seeing his face… was worth all that had happened to her.

"Give me my brother," she said her voice strong and determined; quoting from the book, as if she was just pretending once again.

Inuyasha only grinned before standing up and walking over to where she stood. Kagome didn't say a word as he came closer and closer to her.

His footsteps echoed around the room as he walked… until he was up close… so close that Kagome could feel his breath on her face. She looked at his face for a long time, and he gazed at hers…

Then… without warning, he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her into a passionate kiss. Kagome was so taken aback by his sudden affection that for a moment she couldn't move. But once the reality had hit her… that Inuyasha was here… truly here… she was only too happy to put her arms around his neck and kissed back with just as much energy.

They had their lips locked with each other for who-knows-how long, (Kagome had lost all sense of time) but finally Kagome realized that she needed air. She pulled away from him, unwilling. She stared into his beautiful eyes for a moment before repeating, "Give me my brother."

Inuyasha grinned again, "How you changed my world you precious thing," he said quoting from the story too. "You've changed me. You have been able to reach me in a way that no one has ever done. I've struggled to understand you… I am near exhaustion. Why can you understand that everything I've done…? I've done for you? I don't move the stars for just anyone. You've run for so long… and you've come so far… to me."

Kagome took one of Demon's Kings own clawed hands and placed it on the side of her cheek and closed her eyes. She wanted to feel the warmth from his hand… the hand that had been the cause of all of her pain… the one that had caused the suffering that she had been through in the last half a day… and she knew that he spoke the truth.

"I do understand," Kagome said simply. "I know that all that you've done is for me… and for that… I will always be grateful. But if you truly care… if you truly want to help me… then please… give me back my brother."

The Demon King removed his hand and walked pass her, avoiding her eyes. "Everything you have wanted I have done," he said to her. "You asked the boy to be taken away. I took him, so that you would become free from worry. You arrived here to find him, we were able to meet once again. I have reordered time. I have turned the Spirit World upside down, and I have done it all for you! And yet you want to leave me…"

"Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered," quoted Kagome almost dully. "I have fought my way here to your castle through the Spirit World. And now I am face to face with you. And somewhere along my journey I've realized that I have..."

"You have what?" asked Inuyasha, and Kagome knew that he wasn't acting anymore.

"I've realized that I have fallen in love with the Demon King," was all Kagome could say. She whirled around to look at him, "But… why?"

Inuyasha stared at her sadly. "Why what?"

"Why did you leave me? Why did you do all this? Why did you tell me that I had only 13 hours to find Sota, and if I failed, I would be forced to live here forever? Why did you give me the jewel? Why everything? Please… I need to know."

Inuyasha simply began to stroke Kagome's cheek. "I'm sorry," was all he said. "But I had no choice but to leave you like I did back then."

"What do you mean you had no choice?" asked Kagome, desperate for the answer.

"Because I would've been putting you in danger," he answered.

Of all the answers that Kagome had been expecting, this one was not on her list. "Danger?" she echoed not understanding where he was coming from.

Inuyasha sighed as he let his hand drop and took a few steps away from her, avoiding eye contact. "Sesshomaru came to get me and saw me with you," he began.

"What?" said Kagome starting to get angry "Was he threaten to hurt me if you didn't go with him?"

"No," said Inuyasha. "Quite the opposite; he opened my eyes to just how dangerous it was for me to be with you. I was the son of the Demon King. There were plenty of enemies that would use that to their advance. They would capture you… and use you to get me to do whatever they wanted… and if I don't they would've…" he trailed off.

"So…" said Kagome slowly. "You left to protect me?"

"I left because I care about you," was all Inuyasha could say. "But I never truly left you."

"What?" said Kagome. "You were there the whole time?"

"Yes and no," said Inuyasha has he went back to the throne and picked something up. It was a circular, white mirror.

"Ever seen the movie Beauty and the Beast? I know you have… it was your favorite when you were growing up. This mirror is not so different from the mirror that the beast used."

"You mean…" said Kagome walking over to him and getting a better look at the mirror. "It shows you anything that you want?"

"Yes," answered Inuyasha. "I've been watching over you ever since I left. Making sure that you were safe and well."

Kagome didn't know what to say… she was truly touched that he had always been watch over her… that is until a thought came to her, "You haven't been watching me when I went to the bathroom or took a shower have you?" she asked a little coldly.

Inuyasha blushed and replied no.

**(What do you think? ;-) I'll leave that decision up to your imaginations)**

"I'll believe you… for now," said Kagome although she still had her doubts. She put her head on Inuyasha's shoulder and asked him, "But this doesn't explain why you took Sota… and why you said that I'll be forced to live here forever if I failed."

Inuyasha shrugged. "I wanted to see you… face to face… but I also knew that you didn't remember me anymore."

Kagome put her head down. "I'm sorry." Inuyasha turned to look at her sad face, "For what?"

"For forgetting about you," said Kagome sounding close to crying. "It's just that… when you left… I was so lonely… I guess… I guess I tried so hard to forget about you… I finally just blocked you out."

"I know," answered Inuyasha. "I know that I must have hurt you when I left. But please know that my feelings for you haven't changed because of that." He reached back and took hold of Kagome's hand and held it as if for comfort. "I was listening to you tell the story of the Demon King to your brother, by the way, that story's my favorite."

Grinning, Kagome asked with heavy sarcasm, "I wonder why?"

"Anyway… I heard the way that Sota talks to you and I got tired of it. You then wished that the 'Demon King,' would come and take him away. I feel that I should tell you that the words 'I wish' are more powerful than anyone has given them credit for… but when you wished for the boy to be taken… I realized that this was the perfect chance to see you face to face again. I had hoped that coming here would get your memory back."

He then grinned, "And as for the whole, making you live with here forever if you fail… I only said that to get you to come here faster."

Kagome smiled gently. "You were never planning on keeping my brother here were you?"

Inuyasha gave her another cocky grin, one that seemed to light up her whole world. "The last thing that I wanted was to hurt you… besides, I think your brother is a royal pain in the ass. Why would I want to keep him here?"

"That's true," said Kagome with a slight chuckle. She then turned serious, "But where is he? Is he safe? And how am I going to explain this to my mother? She must be worried sick and…"

"Relax," said Inuyasha. "Your brother is safe. As soon as I took him from his room, I put him into a deep sleep. In fact, he has no idea on anything that's happened since you left to get a drink of water. And as for earth; time stopped for the moment… no time has passed since you entered this world."

"So…" began Kagome.

"Once Sota returns home, he'll wake up. And he won't be any the wiser on what has happened here. Your mother and grandfather both still think that you both are at home."

Kagome closed her eyes, smiling, "You have no idea on what a relief that is for me."

"And for the jewel?" said Inuyasha. "I was getting worried that you were never going to remember in time. So I gave you the jewel, which is what created the dream bubble. And you and I were able to… get to know each other." She grinned. "I was planning on keeping you in there until you remembered, but then Naraku interfered."

She heard him sigh as she felt his hand on her cheek once again. She opened her eyes to see that he was only a few inches away from her face. She stared, completely lost in pools of melted gold; and he stared into her own warm brown eyes. "How you changed my world you precious thing," he repeated, once again quoting the lines from the book.

She smiled as she leaned into his touch, "And you have changed my world."

"So you forgive me?" he asked.

"There's nothing to be forgiven," she said as she closed her eye closed again. "I know that everything you've done was for me. Thank you. For everything. You had done so much for me… and I just want to let you know that my heart belongs to you."

Inuyasha removed his hand from her face and took her hand between his own. "That's all I need to hear." He pulled her into an embrace and held her tightly; as if he was afraid that if he let go, he would lose her forever. "You know…" he said suddenly, "All this time… I wondered what it would feel like to hold you again."

Kagome leaned her head back to stare into his eyes again. "So how does it feel?" she asked curiously.

He smiled. "Wonderful. More wonderful than I could ever imagine."

Inuyasha ran his clawed hands through her hair before saying, "I really do love you."

Kagome felt tears of happiness beginning to form in her eyes. "I love you too. I don't think I ever stopped…"

It was then that they both realized that there was nothing to stop them, or interrupt them, it was only them. They leaned and put their lips together. As soon as his lips gently landed over hers, she instantly knew that this was no dream. She closed her eyes and pushed herself closer to him, once again reaching her arms up and around his neck. He responded by wrapping his free arm around her back, firmly holding her against himself.

This was the real thing… this time she knew that this wasn't a dream bubble. At last, the moment Kagome had been dreaming about since she realized that she had fallen in love with the Demon King. The moment when nothing else mattered—not Naraku, not time, and certainly not a war…

All that mattered was that they were together. They _loved_ each other. This one kiss… that was all they needed, the kiss that they were now sharing was what proved that they belonged together. They had been born… to see one another… to be together… and nothing would ever pull them apart, ever again.


	14. Twelfth Hour Going to War

**Chapter 14: The Twelfth Hour- Going to War**

_'This one moment is enough,'_ thought Kagome. _'This one kiss is enough. I don't need anything else from him. Just knowing how he feels about me is enough.'_

What was happening to her? It was like…a new fire had been started. She could feel it… she could feel its heat. What was this feeling? The feeling of being…whole, maybe? She wanted to stay like this forever. She moved her hand to the back of his head, and she pulled him closer, her lips clashing against his. She claimed them fully. She leaned forward, and the sneaky bastard got his tongue into her mouth, not that she was complaining. She fought against it, and she could feel his smirk against her mouth. She leaned onto him harder, practically devouring his mouth as she tried to find out what made Inuyasha taste so earth-shatteringly good. No, better than good.

At that moment, she heard something.

It sounded like a giant explosion coming from outside. Kagome had just remembered that there was a war going on, and she was here making out with Inuyasha.

She quickly, but unwillingly, pulled away from him. "Inuyasha! Naraku's the one who destroyed the dream bubble! He's outside, and everyone else is fighting him! We have to do something or they'll all be killed!"

Inuyasha nodded once in understanding but she could see the unwillingness in his eyes. Nonetheless, he put his hands on her shoulders and said, "You stay in here, I'll go and deal with that bastard Naraku." He turned and tried to leave, but Kagome ran forward and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"What do you think you're doing?" she said a little hysterically. "You can't just expect me to sit in here safe and sound, knowing that you're out there risking your life! I'm going with you!"

Inuyasha stared at her irritated, "What can you do? Naraku's a demon. How are you going to fight him?"

Kagome shook her head. "I don't know. But we've finally been brought together again, and I don't know what I do if I have to lose you again. I don't want to go through all that again. Please, Inuyasha… I want to be with you."

He reached up and let his hand rest on her cheek. "You are as childish as ever before," he told her. "I could tell what you were like when I first saw you. Aggravating, impatient, teasing, but you're...also something I wasn't expecting. Kind, warm, and caring…you look totally unbothered, like you'd be fine if I left. But I know and you know that that's not true. It's kinda irritating. Turn back now Kagome… before it's too late…" He pointed to the doors and when on. "Your brother is upstairs, go find him and leave before something happens.

"Inuyasha," begged Kagome. "Talk to me. Tell me what to do, I'm stuck! My heart's an anchor. Please… don't leave me in the dark again."

Inuyasha stared at her confused.

"Even if I could leave… I'll just end up back here. Or rather, some place just like this. Alone in the dark… waiting for someone to come find me. Please, I don't want to be left alone in the darkness and wait for you to come back."

Inuyasha pulled away gently before putting his hands on either side of her head and kissed her forehead. "You won't," he said. "I promise that I'll come back. Just wait in the dark a little longer." And then… he was gone. Leaving Kagome in the dark.

Kagome left the throne room to try to find Inuyasha. Finally, when she spotted a window, she flew to it and tried to open it; but it was locked. When she gazed down and recognized that messy mass of white hair standing below her, was staring at the gates as if he were waiting for someone. The wind suddenly shifted, swirling around the small group and picking up dirt. Kagome shielded her eyes from the flying dust until it cleared, when a new voice exploded into the small clearing.

He looked around to see if he could spot Naraku. "Naraku show you self," shouted Inuyasha. "Naraku!"

Naraku laughed his atrocious, dark, twisted laugh… and there he was. Kagome looked up, trembling slightly when she saw Naraku standing before Inuyasha with that look that made Kagome want to throw up. Then giant tentacles for arms shot at Inuyasha, the force of the attack slammed Inuyasha into a tree. Then Naraku pulled back one arm then his arm shot at Inuyasha again, making contact with his face, which smashed Inuyasha through the tree.

But when Naraku retracted his arms; Inuyasha sprung to his feet. He wiped off the blood from his face just as one of Naraku's arms flew at Inuyasha again. Inuyasha dodged his arm then ran toward Naraku; Inuyasha unleashed an unusual battle cry… an "Iron Reaver Soul Stealer". His hands became more clawlike and made giant scars on the ground where they were fighting. Naraku use his other arm to block, but the attack tore Naraku's arm off. Inuyasha jumped back, when Naraku laughed as insects the size of crows with giant red eyes came flying out of nowhere. They flew to where his arm was severed, lumping and forming until a new arm had grown where the stump had been.

"You have something I want, Inuyasha," said Naraku. "Your kingdom."

The half-demon snarled. "I thought that I made this clear. I'd die before I hand over my kingdom to you! This ends today."

"Never. You couldn't defeat even the simplest of demons." Inuyasha charges in without thinking, angered by Naraku's taunts. Naraku's arms transforms into spikes, and he then sticks one arm in the ground. It travels underground and comes up in front of Inuyasha almost hitting him. Inuyasha goes around it, just barely dodging it, he looked behind him. Naraku's other arm flies toward Inuyasha. When Inuyasha turned around Naraku's arm went through Inuyasha's stomach. Naraku pulls his arms back.

Inuyasha holds his stomach with his left hand and as he unsheathes a rusty sword with his right hand and it suddenly transforms from a rusty blade, into a sword that looked more like a fang than anything else. The sword turns red, and Inuyasha cries out, "WIND SCAR!" As he swung the sword, the attack makes a direct hit. The attack leaves Naraku with deep wounds and his body severed.

_"It has to be over,"_ thought Kagome. But then the giant insects fly at Inuyasha. Inuyasha tries to smack them away, which gave Naraku time to escape. So Naraku made his escape.

"Damn he got away," said Inuyasha bitterly as he resheaths the sword. He starts running after Naraku; while Kagome who was still looking out the window realized that she couldn't take it. She had to be by his side, she couldn't stand the thought of being safe when her friends and the one she loves are all fighting for their lives. She left the room and went running through the castle, finding her way much easier than before, and soon made it outside.

She ran though the place until she stood in the shadow of the castle, which rose behind it in bonnet-towered and turreted splendor. She ran down a wide flight of steps, pass the main entrance to the castle, faced the inner gates of the courtyard, and must have formed an imposing approach for advancing armies.

When she ran pass the gates, she saw them. Naraku was fighting with the others in a new form. Naraku was in a giant armor in front of Inuyasha, Sesshomaru, and her friends as they fought tooth and nail against him. Naraku armor was thunderous clang, that formed one titanic, mailed warrior, whom the cavernous mouth uttered an earthly metallic bellow; his eyes glowed. In one hand he wielded an enormous, double-headed ax.

Kagome whimpered. She felt the ground tremble as Naraku, ax raised, walked forward and stamped toward them. Not far from her, she heard Miroku let out a battle, but it was a mere piping sound in comparison to the terrible noise made by this Goliath of a demon. Kirara was above them with Sango on her back, trying to find some kind of weakness in the armor.

She had never felt more useless. She wanted to help, but she couldn't think of anything that she could do. It isn't fair. Both Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru clashed their swords against Naraku's while Miroku jumped behind Sango and were up on Kirara. Sango threw Hiraikotsu while Miroku threw a sutra with Shippo running around at Naraku's feet, trying to avoid getting trampled.

A bugle sounded, and from behind Naraku came a demon army suddenly charging at them, with pounding feet and clanking armor and a weird, ululating war cry. Scores of helmeted heads could be seen scuttling along the lower ramparts of the castle. There was only one thing to do: run for it. And there was only one way to run - back into the castle.

The armies were issuing from twin corridors, which curved around the sides of the main steps so that their exits faced each other. A platoon of bombardiers trundled a cannon in the vanguard of each army, and as the corridors were on an incline, and the cannons were heavy, and the trundling was enthusiastic, the cannon platoons were going to collide unless they hauled back hard. Which they did. Unavailingly, however, for the press of infantry and cavalry behind them drove them inexorably on. As the four invaders raced for the cover of the town, they heard a stupendous smash, like a thousand empty cans crashing together. They turned around, and watched wave upon wave of the goblin soldiers piling upon top of each other. On the ramparts, an inaudible bugler was red in the face with blowing the charge. Kagome ran forward and pulled Shippo back just as he was about to get stomped on and ran back towards the castle.

"Kagome?" cried Shippo bewildered. "Where did you come from?"

"Talk later," said Kagome as she ran through the gate and gesturing for Miroku and Sango down towards her. They got the message as soon as they saw the invading army and landed in front of her.

Kagome called to her friends, "In here!" She signaled for them to get pass the front gates. Reluctantly, Sango dismounted and led Kirara and Miroku inside. Kagome slid the bolt, while she was grinning with excitement. However extreme the peril they were in, nothing would ever be as daunting as the crap that she had been through the last half day. "Shippo and I wait for them to come over the gate," she told Sango. "You will guard the front doors. And you, Miroku—up on top of the gate."

Miroku nodded obediently and sprung into a salute. "Yes ma'am." He climbed the winding rungs of the stairs.

"Look out!" Kagome cried suddenly. Sango at once took up her on-guard position beside the door. Kagome and Shippo stood by waiting. Kagome called up to Miroku, "Miroku, are you ready?"

"Yep," he called as she heard the sound of the beads on his arm being taken off. The demon army appeared above them smashed the through the door with horns and claws until they were able to stick their heads inside to see who was in there.

"Shippo!" the demon exclaimed. "You're one of us."

"Yes," Shippo agreed, and broke his smashing top on the demon's helmeted head.

Sango was watching with mixed feeling. She had to hand it to Kagome, she was spirited, and she knew what she was doing, but on the other hand, she had posted her to the side, where nothing at all was going to happen. She was just beginning to wonder if she should just join them when an axhead shaped like a trefoil had missed her by inches. She looked up above her and she saw mad red eyes watching her and heard voices talking rapidly.

This was more like it. She squared up, then, through a crack, she saw half a dozen demons charging with a battering ram. In a trice, she slid the bolt back and opened the door. As the ram went past her at full tilt she dealt with each of its bearers skillfully with her weapon.

"Ha!" Sango shouted tauntingly. "Had enough? Don't worry there's more than enough for everyone!"

On top of the gate, Miroku was showered with spears. He simply ducked below the ramparts. Then a detachment of commando demons stormed the outside walls of the tower, clambering up ladders with the idea of overwhelming Miroku. He was not readily overwhelmable, kicking them down to the ground one by one as they reached the top of the ladders and peered over the parapet.

"Miroku," Kagome shouted, "use the wind tunnel!" He didn't need to be told twice, he uncovered his hand and the mighty black hole began to suck in everything in its wake.

Down below Kagome shouted as Shippo to retreat, "We have to go to the top."

"You first," he called back.

She did as he said. Shippo followed her, with Sango, to cover their retreat. She climbed up backward, ceding one step at a time, fending off her attackers. Kagome looked over the parapet. All the demons were congregated at the front of the house, struggling to get in after those who were forcing Sango back. Just below the gate she could see Inuyasha and Sesshomaru still fighting Naraku. Kagome move over slightly, and she felt her foot hit something; she looked down to see a small bow and a few arrows that must've been dropped when their owners were sucked into the wind tunnel. Kagome picked them up and called down to Sango, "Do you have any rope?"

Amazingly, Sango was able to pull out a thin rope and toss it to her, while she was still able to crack a demon's skull. Kagome tied one end of the rope to the arrow and prepared to shot. "Hold them back for as long as you can, Sango," she called down to her friend.

"You don't need to ask me twice," she called back up to her.

Swiftly, Kagome tightened the knot and, taking careful aim, was able to shoot it to the ground below them. Then she tied one end of the rope to a column of the parapet, "You first, Shippo," she said.

He hesitated, "I'm a coward."

"No, you're not," said Kagome fiercely.

He paused, almost smiling. "You're right. I'm not. Funny, I always thought I was." He grasped the rope, stood on the parapet, and shinned down to the ground. Then he held the rope to anchor it for Kagome. She followed him down.

"Miroku!" she called. "You next! Tell Sango to come after you." Miroku came down, a little too fast, scorching his hands, but was able to land safely on the ground. Now it was for Sango to make good her escape. The three of them, their heads craned back, saw the demon slayer come onto the parapet with her back turned and her weapon working hard. With her free hand she took hold of the rope and let herself a few inches down the outside of the tower. Then they saw her raise the sword that she wore on her side and unhitch the rope from the parapet. She plummeted.

Kagome pressed her hands to her mouth and let out a strangled scream. But then Kirara had appeared and caught her before landing gently down beside their friends.

"Sango! What did you do that for?" screamed Kagome

Sango shrugged, "Couldn't help it?"

Shippo suddenly stopped, his arms spread wide in warning. The rest of them had froze… Naraku in all his armor was standing before them.

"Uh-oh," Kagome muttered. "This could be it."

Naraku was not yon now. He had come close enough to aim a massive ax blow at them. It missed them, but gashed a great wound in the ground. A fountain of sparks spurted from the steel axhead. The three dodged past Naraku's feet, but he jerked rapidly around and smashed his ax down again with both hands. Screaming, they leaped apart, and the ax hammered the ground between them, burying itself among shattered paving stones. The giant withdrew it effortlessly, and now, crouching, he delivered a scything swing at them. They threw themselves flat, and heard the ax whiz over them with a noise like an ignited rocket.

They saw the ax raised high again, and scuttled for cover to the wall of the courtyard. The descending ax carved a slice off a buttress. Blow followed blow. Each one would have left no more of them than there is of a mosquito squashed on a wall. All that had saved them so far was the inflexible, jerky motion of Naraku's attack, which gave them a split second's forewarning of where the next annihilating crash was aimed. It was only a matter of time before they got it wrong, and Naraku seemed to have all the time he needed trampling after them around the closed courtyard and evidently not wearied by the atrocious energy of his onslaught. Inuyasha and Sesshomaru both appeared and continued their battle.

Naraku received out of all the blows they sent him only three managed to hit him. I was worried. They had been fighting for a while, they all had scars, yet Naraku was not. I felt Shippo tremble in my arms. He wasn't able to do anything either, was he like me, didn't like watching, while he couldn't do anything? I had to do something. I needed to do something. That was why I notched my arrow, and waited for a clear shot, even if I don't have powers or abilities like the others do, an arrow is still an arrow, and they can hurt.

Time slowed down when the arrow flew…time slowed down even more when it hit him. It stopped altogether when the arrow penetrated the armor… right above his heart. That was the opening that the others needed. Inuyasha and Sesshomaru combined their attacks and plunged their blades pass the armor and hit Naraku's heart. Naraku let out a long and dreadful scream that sounded like nails going down a chalkboard. Kagome covered her ears. She wanted it all to end.

When the screaming had died down… Naraku's armor fell to the ground with a crash. As soon as it did, the armor fell to pieces. It was as if years of corrosion were coming by in seconds until, all that was left was a pile of twisted metal and rust. The demons had all realized that their boss was dead, and they did the most natural thing that they've done, and ran.

That was when Kagome noticed something else. They… were all staring at her…

Kirara came down, releasing Sango and Miroku who were staring at his hand. Shippo who was on her shoulder was staring at her with new amazement. "That…" he said.

"Was incredible," whispered Miroku.

Inuyasha frowned, then came over to me and messed up my hair with his hand and said while doing so, "Not bad at all." Kagome looked at him… as he looked at her. And before anyone could stop her, she flung herself into his arms.

That was when everyone around them began to celebrate… minus Sesshomaru who looked disappointed that the battle was over and turned and left. Enjoying the feeling of his arms, she almost didn't hear the words that Inuyasha whispered to her.

"Come with me," Inuyasha's breath ghosted over her neck and shoulders. He then grabbed her by her hand and pulled her away from the others who were all hugging and laughing in joy. He pulled her into the courtyard just inside the gates, where the others couldn't see them before he turned to look at her.

"I'm not going to leave you in the dark. I'm not going anywhere." His arms came around to hold her, and he gave her yet another kiss. Though, the kiss wasn't as sweet or chaste as the others. Inuyasha's lips pressed against her in an almost desperate manner, needy; wanting, almost, so that he would perhaps be able to take the feeling of the kiss with him to the next life. Kagome's brown orbs slowly slid shut, before she quickly melted into the kiss; and the atmosphere quickly began to heat up, both of them were sweating and dying for air, but neither willing to stop because it would mean letting go of the one substantial thing in their lives.

Soon, however, nature exerted its dominance as the two were forced to break apart. Kagome looked up at him through watery eyes, her lips swollen and bruised, and her hair a mess. Inuyasha was in equal disarray, staring at her with more emotion in his eyes than Kagome could understand.

He whispered to her, "You'll see me soon."

Kagome was just about to ask him what he meant when she heard it.

A clock began to strike.

"It's the thirteenth hour," said Inuyasha. Inuyasha then held up the tiny jewel that Kagome recognized as the jewel that had created the dream bubble. He tossed the jewel up into the air, where it hovered, as if it were a bubble. Kagome looked at it, and saw Inuyasha's face, distorted, on the shifting, iridescent surface. Gently, it drifted down toward her. She reached out fascinated fingers for it and, as she touched the bubble with her fingertips, it burst. A mist of water atoms floated down the air toward Inuyasha.

But she saw that Inuyasha had disappeared. But she heard his voice, "Kagome… wait for me. You'll see me again soon… I promise."

His empty Kimono was settling onto the ground. A beam of light picked out a little cloud of dust motes rising from it.

The clock continued to strike.

Then at last, with a slow flutter, the kimono lay still. From beneath it, as the clock struck for the twelfth time, a white dog stood up, and vanished… as if it were nothing but an illusion.

Once the clock had stopped chiming… Kagome put her hand up to her face to find that there were tears were trickling down her cheeks.

**(Yea! This story is almost over! 1 more chapter left! Thank you all for enjoying this story, and i hope to update as soon as i can!)**


	15. Thirteenth Hour Epilogue

**Chapter 15: The Thirteenth Hour-Epilogue**

Hello, my name is Kagome Higurashi and I have been living in a dream for the past 13 hours… A dream I couldn't control… a dream that he controlled… a dream where he held my heart in his hands… a dream where everything I loved and cherished were gone… forever…

NO… it wasn't a dream… I just wished it was… Let me tell you… my heart aching tale… of how I fell in love… with the Demon King… Inuyasha… in a world where everything seems possible, and nothing is what it seems.

Kagome was back inside her house, standing right in front of the front door. Once the clock had stopped chiming… Kagome put her hand up to her face to find that there were tears were trickling down her cheeks.

Kagome felt her heart breaking as she listened to the clock beginning to tick again. What happened? One minute she was with Inuyasha and the next…

She looked around at the familiar old building… she then pinched herself, just to make sure that this wasn't a dream. OUCH! Nope… not a dream this time.

Suddenly, she remembered something… "Sota?" she said staring around her as if hoping he would just appear. "Sota!" she called as she ran up the stairs, praying with all her heart and soul that he was upstairs in his room. She practically flew to his closed door and opened it, half terrified of what she might find. As she looked into the dark room, the light from the hallway shone onto the bed; which revealed a sleeping figure.

Kagome turned on the light, and there, sleeping on the bed, was Sota. Kagome let out a sigh of relief as she walked over to him and sat down on the edge of the bed and looked at his face. Sota was sleeping both peacefully, and deeply, and he hardly stirred when the light came on or the added weight of the bed. Kagome smiled when she saw that he was going to be just fine. She remembered that Inuyasha told her that he had been asleep during his stay in the Spirit World and he wouldn't remember a thing.

_'Thank god,'_ she thought as she gently traced the side of her brother's face. She smiled again as she stood up and quietly turned off the light, and stood in the doorway. She looked back at Sota for a minute before she said softly, "Goodnight Sota… I'm sorry that I ever wanted you to go away. I swear I never meant it. But from now on, I'm going to appreciate every waking second with you. Even if you act like the annoying pest that I know all too well," he didn't answer, not that she expected one. She shut the door softly, and muttered, "I love you Sota. I promise I won't ever forget that again."

Kagome headed back to her room and collapsed onto her bed. "Oh, there's no place like your bed," she said through her pillow. But she then sat up; she wanted to look at herself in the mirror.

Boy, she was a mess. Her face was covered with sweat, dirt, and tear stains; her hair was tangled with had bits of leaves and twigs stuck in it and her clothes… oh her poor dress. I wasn't the beautiful creamy white that it was this morning. It was covered in mud, torn, wrinkled, and had turned a brownish-gray color. She looked liked the kind of person you see living on the streets.

She took off her dress and went to go and take a long hot shower. It was heaven… absolute heaven to her. After she had finished her bath, she combed out her hair until it was silky smooth, and changed into some clean pj's.

Just as she had finished, she heard the front door open and her mother call up, "Kagome? Kagome are you still up?"

"Yeah!" Kagome called back as she left the bathroom to look down the staircase at her mother and grandfather. "Welcome home!" she said cheerfully.

They both looked up at her slightly startled at her cheerful expression. "Are you ok?" grandpa called up at her.

"Yeah," Kagome replied, "It's just good to see you again." She then turned and went back to her room.

Mom looked over at grandpa, looking just as confused as she did. "Good lord," said grandpa bewildered. "What's gotten into her?"

Mom just shrugged, "She's a teenager… it's got to be a boy problem?"

Kagome went to lie down on her bed to think of everything that happened in the last 13 hours. She thought about her friends and wondered if they're alright… she thought about every little thing she saw and experienced… and she wondered if Inuyasha was missing her right now. She turned over as she began to fall asleep.

Before she went into dreamland, she thought to herself, _'I know why you left me Inuyasha. You thought that returning to the Spirit World was the only way to protect me. You and I live in different worlds. But one day, love with triumph… and bring you back to me.'_

She then shut her eyes… wondering what dreams she would have after a night like tonight.

_*When she started to dream*_

She was flying through space. Below, on the ground, she saw the faces of Miroku and Sango looking up at her. Their mouths were moving, as if they were calling out to her, but all she could hear was the thrum of rushing air. Strange things, and pieces of things, and things of pieces, were whizzing through space with her, some overtaking her, some receding.

She started to recognize objects. The dancer from her music box pirouetted past, upside down, followed by several of her favorite books, in random order, their pages flapping loose in the wind. It was an aerial Sargasso Sea formed of everything she had ever seen or imagined but rearranged in improbably combinations.

The next thing she knew… she was in a room.

But not just any room; this room was **huge**! But she then smiled when she looked around and recognized where she was… Kagome was, once again, in the gorgeous ballroom. The ballroom where she danced with Inuyasha… where they shared their first kiss.

Everything was as she remembered… except the room was empty. There weren't any dancers or servants walking around… there was no band or party going on. But then… what is that music she's hearing? Violins playing a slow waltz, accompanied by softly blowing trumpets? And then she saw an old record player, with a golden horn attached to a maple box, with its record already playing.

She could hardly believe that she was back in the ballroom, but she then realized that she wasn't in her PJ's anymore. She was wearing a deep crimson gown, with an even darker burgundy bodice, with her hair pined up so delicately, that it looked like a shining raven's wing.

Smiling, Kagome walked to the center of the ballroom, and closed her eyes. She put her arms in a frame, as if there was really a man there in front of her. And she started dancing. Kagome was light on her feet, and she twirled, but when she came back to her 'partner', she felt a hand encircle her waist. She grinned even wider and didn't bother to open her eyes… for she knew who it was. They danced for a few more steps before she finally said something.

"Hello Inuyasha," she said as her eyes snapped open. In front of her was the man she loved. He wore a black and white suit, and his eyes were golden… his silver hair was tied back and he too was grinning from ear to ear.

They began to dance around the room… no one there but them and the music. Kagome felt like she was flying in his arms, and she felt him pulling her closer. She felt him let go of her hand and place it behind her neck. She looked into his eyes, and felt like she would wonder, lost, in them forever. Kagome saw him lean down and felt his lips on hers, her eyes closing, and she felt her hands wrap around his neck, pulling him closer. His arms pulled her closer, encircling her tighter—he pulled away to trail some kisses on her neck.

"Kagome," he whispered in her ear, tickling it with his breath.

She sighed. She loved the way he said her name.

"Yes," she said into his chest.

"I love you," he said.

"I know you do," she said smirking. "But… but what happened? Miroku? Sango? Shippo? Everyone? Why did you send me back like you did? Please… I need some answers."

Inuyasha let go of her hand for a moment to put it on her lips to silence her. "Let me explain," he said as they continued their waltz. "Thanks to you, Naraku's dead. Sesshomaru left—went back to his own kingdom with Rin. Now that Naraku's dead, Miroku's free from the wind tunnel and is now able to live out the rest of his life in peace. Sango was happy her village was revenged, and now she no longer has to fight just to survive."

Kagome let out a small laugh, "Besides, Miroku wasn't under the Wind Tunnel anymore. Wedding bells anyone?"

Inuyasha shook his head dryly. "Good luck's all I can say." He looked her in the eyes and couldn't seem to turn away as they continued to dance.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome asked, wanting to know but fearing an answer.

"What?" he asked as they spun around.

"What about us? I mean…" Kagome laid her head on his chest so that she could hear his heart. "What are we going to do?"

"What do you mean?" he asked not understanding the problem.

"I live on earth! You live in the Spirit World!" Kagome said loudly. "What are we going to do?"

"Isn't that obvious?" Inuyasha said. "We wait until you graduate school."

"And then?" asked Kagome desperate.

"And then we'll get married," he said calmly.

Kagome stopped dancing. She looked up into his face and she knew that he wasn't kidding around.

"You mean?" Kagome said softly.

"That is…" said Inuyasha quickly, "IF you want me?"

Stunned, Kagome stilled stared at him before she crashed her lips against his.

_'I take that as a yes!'_ Inuyasha thought as he returned the kiss all too willingly. This kiss lasted longer than their other ones, and this was the one that meant the most. But finally, they both needed to breathe and pulled away.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome asked uncertainly. "Are you sure about this? About me?"

"I should be asking you that," Inuyasha said as he brushed a stray hair from her face. "Don't cry anymore. I'm so glad to have met you. I loved you more than anything else. And once you finish with school back on earth… we can spend the rest of our lives together. Just promise me one thing."

"What?" she asked.

Inuyasha smiled, "Don't forget me."

Kagome felt tears form at her eyes as she put her hand on either side of his face. "I won't forget…" she said with so much certainty that Inuyasha believed her. "I won't ever forget you again. My heart belongs to you and you alone."

He gave her a wicked grin as he pulled her against his chest even tighter. "That's all I need to hear." He held her tightly as they stopped twirling… he put his nose down into her hair and breathed in her scent.

"I think 5…" she said to herself after awhile.

Inuyasha froze for a second, "5?" he asked. "5 what?"

"Yes…" said Kagome stroking his face lovingly. "When I come back and we get married… I think we should have 5."

Inuyasha stared at her before bursting out laughing, "What? Only that?"

He grabbed her by the waist and leaned her back while he kissed her once again…

… and then he was gone.

"Inuyasha," Kagome said as she opened her eyes to stare at the ceiling in her dark room. She was back on earth. She was in bed, back in her PJ's, and no Inuyasha in sight.

She sighed from both relief and sadness. She couldn't take her mind off him. He was that mysterious, handsome boy that had held her, had danced with her… the one she was going to marry as soon as she got out of school. She leaned back onto her bed and shut her eyes.

"Goodnight, Inuyasha. I love you," hoping he could hear her.

Unknown to her, his golden eyes could see her sleeping form. He came to her and lightly tucked the covers around her. He bent down and kissed her one final time, and Kagome unconsciously leaned toward him as he pulled away.

"Goodnight, Kagome. Soon, we will be together."

_*6 Years Later*_

Kagome waved goodbye to her friends as she went home with her family. Her mother hugged her tightly as she quietly said congratulations. Sota, who turns out didn't remember anything that happened that night, handed her a small bouquet of flower and said 'good job sis'. Kagome said 'thank you' to them both before she looked up at the sky…

"I can't believe it's already been 6 years," she said to herself.

"From what?" asked Sota.

Kagome shook her head, "Nothing you would find interesting Sota."

"What's wrong?" asked Sota suspiciously. "You just finished school! Shouldn't you be happy? What's the problem?"

"There's no problem, Sota," said Kagome but Sota rolled his eyes.

"Come on sis. Whether you like it or not, your siblings know your problems," said Sota.

"Yeah," said Kagome smirking, "And sometimes they're the cause of them."

Sota laughed as Kagome shut her eyes. She dreamt of him every night. His golden eyes… his warm arms… his kisses. She grinned—if Inuyasha still wanted to marry her—then they would be seeing each other soon.

Once they got home, they had a small party in celebration, and had all of Kagome's favorite foods. When finally, Kagome went to bed, stuffed and tired… she fell asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow. She had a very strange dream…

… except she knew that it wasn't a dream.

Kagome was standing in the throne room once again. Kagome looked around her, and she smiled as she recognized where she was. But what amazed her was what she was wearing… can you guess?

She was in a wedding dress with a long silver veil trailing behind her.

As Kagome admired the dress, she saw a flash of silver out of the corner of her eyes. She smiled as she closed her eyes; her mind going back to 6 years ago. She then felt strong arms wrapping around her, lips kissing every inch of skin.

"I'm sorry Inuyasha," she said as she leaned back into the arms of the man she loved. "Where you waiting?"

"What do you think?" he said as he smiled.

"Inuyasha," Kagome said as she turned around in his arms to see his face, "I've been waiting for you… I've been waiting to start our lives together." She leaned in and gave him a kiss that she had been waiting to give him for 6 years. The Demon King picked up his queen bridal style (Smirk) and, never once breaking their kiss, he took her to their room. After all… they have a lot of work to do.

**THE END**

**(Thank you one and all! I finally finished this story and soon I'm putting up another one! Hope you enjoy it as much as this one! Thank you for sticking with this story for so long and I hope that I didn't disappoint you. Thank you again!)**

**For those of you who want to know:**

**Inuyasha and Kagome married and they didn't have 5 kids… they had 6! They had 3 girls and 3 boys… in order… Kikyo, Sota, Inutaishou, Izayoi, Shiori, and finally Buyo.**

**Miroku and Sango did marry in the 6 years that Kagome had been gone, and they were more than happy to reunite with her once she returned to the Spirit World. Sango and Kagome have become best friends and do almost everything together. Sango and Miroku have 10 kids.**

**Shippo was adopted by Kagome and Inuyasha and is now as dear to them as if he were their own son. Although he does test his 'father's' anger often.**

**Sesshomaru and Rin were finally married and so far they have 1 son.**

**Sota falls in love and marries a girl back on earth. He lives a normal life.**


End file.
